Sometimes, Life Really Sucks
by Cowgrl94
Summary: Eponine grew up at the mansion and never questioned who her parents were.Life was good,but it didn't stay that way.She looses her control of her powers,the past she never knew is catching up,and Sinister comes to play.R&R please:
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first attempt at an X-Men Evolution fanfiction. Please let me know if any of the characters are out of character and I'll do my best to fix it :) There are pairings in this story but they really aren't going to be the focus. ****This could be thrown in right after Apocalypse(sp?).**

**Any names you don't recognize from the show are of my own creation. I own Eponine's character but I took the name from my favourite character of _Les Miserables_ :)**

**Disclaimer- If I owned X-Men: Evolution, Rogue and Remy would have been together by season three, the pole up Scott's behind would have disappeared because he was dating Jean by like season two, and Logan would have been with Ororo. Since none of that happened that way, it's rather obvious that i do not own X-Men:Evolution or any of the characters.**

**Enjoy :)**

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Chapter One

On Halloween night at the Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters, Professor Charles Xavier sat on his wheelchair in the living room watching a horror film with Jamie. The untouchable Rogue was curled up on the far end of the couch with a forgotten book sitting in her lap. Candy and candy wrappers littered the couch space between the two kids; one sat immobilized with terror, the other munched on a Hershey chocolate bar, amusement dancing in her emerald eyes. It was 11:30 pm and the moon was almost full, shining brightly. The film was getting to the climatic part; the part where you think something is going to jump out at you, and in the background there was that suspenseful music. Jamie sat with his brown eyes stretched as wide as they would go with a half eaten Twizzler frozen on the path to his waiting, open mouth.

Professor Xavier, on the other hand, sat deep in thought in regards to the other students. Scott and Jean had gone to a party that ended at one in the morning and, after complaints that they were old enough already, Xavier reluctantly gave them permission. Kitty had been asked on a 'Halloween date' by Lance Alvers and agreed, suggesting a double date with Kurt and his girlfriend, Amanda; both had agreed happily. Tabitha and Ray had gone out as merely 'friends' and Bobby, Jubilee, and Roberto had met up with a group of friends, most likely to get themselves into some mischief. Roberto, Professor Xavier mused, had probably gone because of his current liking in a girl that had joined up with the mischief makers.

That had left Sam, Amara, Jamie, Rahne, Rogue and the adults in the mansion. Storm had offered to take the kids to town and dragged the rogue with her. Around eleven, little Jamie was starting to slow and Rogue had taken him back to the mansion. Now here they were with Logan probably in the Danger Room. Xavier felt a presence behind him before a gruff voice came from the shadows.

"Hey Chuck," Logan rumbled. Jamie shouted and almost jumped out of his skin, sending replicas of himself across the entire couch and ended with one in Rogue's lap. Charles Xavier laughed lightly as Rogue glared at the Jamie and shoved him off her lap.

"Did I scare ya, kid," Logan chuckled. Jamie's face turned a brilliant shade of scarlet and shook his head defiantly. Suddenly, the front door blew open and an odd assortment of people and creatures stumbled through the door, all lugging bags filled to the brim with candy. A brunette belly dancer and a red haired, Scottish French Maid, poked their heads around the corner with eyes full of curiosity.

"Did someone scream," the belly dancer questioned. "I swear someone screamed." the French maid nodded in agreement. Xavier frowned in disapproval.

"Amara and Rahne," he scolded. "Don't you think those costumes are a little too revealing? You're parents would have a fit."

"Relax Chuck," Logan said with a small smile as the girls looked at each other. "I don't approve either but it's only one night a year."

Amara and Rahne nodded enthusiastically. "Yea," Rahne piped up. "Besides, you're freaking out about us? You'll have a heart attack when you see Tabby's outfit."

With that said, the two girl's rushed off to eat some of their night's earnings and to change into something more comfortable leaving behind a confused Jamie, a smirking Rogue, and two highly anxious men.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Logan shouted after them. Rogue chuckled and unfolded herself.

"You'll see," was all she said as she went to go pick from the mound of candy forming in the kitchen.

"Stripes," Logan growled warningly.

"What?" She teased before sashaying out of the room. Logan shook his head and followed her into the kitchen; it was most likely going to be a war zone over the candy wanted and unwanted. He sauntered in the kitchen and stopped short when he saw Tabitha. Rogue plucked a candy bar from the pile and unwrapped it with care.

"Boom Boom," Logan snapped. "What are you wearing?"

The blonde shrugged, sticking a lollypop in her mouth. Her costume consisted of just a red band covering her breasts and a slightly larger band barely making it as a skirt. Strapped to her feet were red, strappy high heels.

"Don't know," she said carelessly. "Rogue came up with it."

"Rogue!" He glared at her. "You came up with that? As if we needed to give her any more ideas!" Logan shook his head and stomped out of the kitchen. Rogue just laughed.

It wasn't long before the door opened again revealing Kitty arm in arm with Lance and right behind them Kurt, without the image inducer, with Amanda. They too joined in on the madness that was in the kitchen. Candy was being thrown across the table, wrappers littered both the table top and the floor. The adults had fled the scene to the safety of the living room where scary movie scenes plagued the screen; they weren't about to call it quits while the miscreants they looked after were awake with an endless amount of sugar within their reach.

At midnight, just as the adults were urging the students to start heading up to bed, the doorbell rang. Everyone paused and looked at the door in confusion. The students looked at each other.

"I thought Scott and Jean weren't coming home until, like, much later," Kitty said doubtfully. There were scattered nods and titters of agreement.

"Maybe they got bored and decided to come back," Tabitha said lightly, but no one laughed. Some nervous chuckles spattered through the residents of the Institute, but no one made a move. The door bell rang again, more insistently this time and some of the younger students jumped. A feeling of dread was creeping up Rogue's spine; she didn't have a good feeling about this. Charles wheeled forward and opened the door. One of the students screamed and many gasps were issued. There at the door was someone who was supposed to be dead: Billy Mayes. His skin was hanging off his bones and his eyes were glazed over. The suit he had been buried in was dirty and tattered. There was a slight nauseating smell rolling off him, and the students realized what a rotting corpse actually smelled like. He was holding what appeared to be a bundle of clothes with a letter tucked in the folds of the fabric in his arms in a gentle, but firm grip.

The dead man held out his arms and said with a slur.

"Tttt-aaa-kke," he moaned. There was a thud as someone fainted, but no one could move; they were mesmerized. The dead man leaned over the professor and said it again. "Ttt-aaaakke er."

Xavier moved slowly to take the bundle and the letter. The minute the bundle was secure in his arms the man walked- no more like _floated-_ out into the moonlight and with a piercing howl collapsed into dust and was swept off with a sudden gust off wind. The door closed with a bang.

No one moved. Some didn't even dare to breathe. It wasn't until the bundle twitched in his arms did the professor jerk back to life. He looked down, his jaw dropped and all the air in his lungs whooshed out. Xavier took hold of the bundle firmly in one arm and freed the letter from its hold before calling out, his eyes never veering from the bundle.

"Storm," he said in astonishment. The white haired woman along with the others came back with a twitch or a breath. "I believe you have a new charge. I'm afraid I am rather useless when it comes to infants."

He wheeled around and Storm strode over to him, a confused frown twisting her mouth. The bundle was obscured from the rest but the widening eyes of the older woman and her gasp peaked their interest. She took the bundle.

"A _baby_," she said in astonishment. The students jerked and Logan merely grunted. "The bundle is a _baby!_ A _new born!_ Can't be more than 2 or 3 months old!"

There was a moment of silence before a squeal came from both Kitty and Jubilee. The boys pressed themselves to the railing or the wall or just plain _ran _to get out of the way. They were just in time before every girl in the mansion rushed to crowd around Storm.

"Aw a baby, never thought we'd ever see one of those here-!"

"Is it a boy or a girl? I hope it's a girl-!"

"It's adorable-!"

"Look at those eyes! They're so awake-!"

The boys folded their arms and watched with looks of disbelief as all the females in the mansion gushed over the baby. Logan shook his head.

"Women," he muttered; he clapped his hands. "Boys, take this as a life lesson. Women always bond over babies. Why? 'Cause there is some kinda connection between them. Never get in the way of a woman and a baby! That's just asking for disaster."

Charles chuckled as the boys nodded seriously. Logan sauntered over to him, shaking his head, muttering something about even 'his Stripes' was in that crazy throng. Xavier carefully unfolded the letter and cleared his throat.

"Ladies, there was a letter too, remember," he called out. Everyone turned their gaze to the man in the wheelchair. He held up the piece of paper. "I'm going to read it aloud. Questions can be asked later, but I'm sure this will explain all." He cleared his throat once more and began to read:

"_October 31_,"

"But that's tonight," Tabitha interrupted. He peered at her over the paper and gave her a look. She shrugged.

"_October 31,_

_"Dear Professor Charles Xavier & Co.,_

" _I'm not really sure how this works so I'll just explain why Billy Mayes has shown up at your door with a baby girl in his arms. My name is Rachel Domnyk. I'm 16 and I'm a mutant. My mutation manifested early at the age of 5 when I accidentally brought my grandmother back from the dead. My wings also decided to emerge that same day scaring some people to death - literally. My mutation is bringing dead people, animals, and trees back to life. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world until I had a 100 plus zombies following me around when the moon was bright. My wings, on the other hand, are something completely different. They are shaped oddly and are blacker then the sky at midnight; I can 'glamour' my wings so they disappear. _

_"When I turned 13 my dad decided to run some tests on me. The experiment didn't work and he continued to try again until exactly 9 months and 3 months ago. Needless to say my dad was thrilled and treated me like royalty. For those 9 long, miserable months he proceeded to explain to me what he would do when his grandchild was born. If I had a son, he would take him and raise the boy himself, only allowing me 24 hours a week with my son. If it was a girl, he would grant me the 'privilege' of raising her myself and he would treat her like a princess. When he deemed her old enough, he would take her and do the same to her as he had done to me. As mortified as I was, I continued to say nothing. I merely smiled and let him believe I was just as thrilled as he was. When alone, I searched the web for any boarding schools outside Dallas, Texas. No way was I going to torture my child like that. I may be young, but I'm neither stupid nor heartless. I found a school in Minnesota first and called the headmistress, an Emma Frost. Almost as if to stay true to her namesake, Miss Frost seemed to me a cold woman with no concern for a child's well being - only the money she would get for keeping the kid. _

_"I thanked her politely, as I was raised, and crossed my fingers in hopes I wouldn't have to deal with her ever again. At the time I was 2 months along, but I knew it would come to an end soon enough. I continued flipping and crossing out places until, at 5 months, I found your Institute. I did call hoping to speak with Professor Charles Xavier, a Miss Ororo Munroe, or a Mr. Logan; unfortunately for me the three of you were either out or occupied at the moment. Instead I spoke to a girl that sounded to be around my age and said her name was Kitty," _

Here Xavier got cut off as the girl just mentioned squeaked her surprise. Everyone looked at her as she covered her mouth with her hands. Charles smiled at her softly and continued on:

"_I spoke to her briefly to find out before mentioned information and asked if she could have one of you three call me back after 8 pm. The next day you, Professor Xavier, called me back and we didn't speak for long. I asked about how well you treat the kids and hesitantly asked about mutations and mutants. After I hung up with you, I looked further around for other schools and found nothing. By six months I had decided._

_"Three months ago, on July 18, I gave birth to a baby girl. My father was, at first disappointed, but cheered up at the thought of running all sorts of unnecessary tests on her when she was older. My heart was crushed and I spent the following two weeks contemplating how best to send her to you. Finally, I decided: I was going to raise someone up from the dead and give them strict instructions to deliver her to you safe and sound along with this letter. Billy Mayes just seemed kind of logical. I mean, don't most people miss the guy that would yell at you to buy what he was selling? Anyways, they should arrive at midnight on Halloween. Her name is Eponine and if she is ever to ask how she got there, tell her the truth. When she is old enough, give her this letter. Hopefully I'll be able to tell you the smaller details someday. You can tell her about her grandfather, my father, and you can say her father is some drunk bastard that deserves his head twisted until it snaps. I beg you to keep her and raise her with a good head on her shoulders._

_Rachel Domnyk_

_P.S. - Whatever you do, __never__ let her out after dark until __after__ her mutation manifests._

The professor folded the paper in silence. Nobody moved.

"I don't understand," Jubilee said. "If she could get the baby out, why couldn't she do the same for herself? It sounded like she could."

"She may have wanted the freedom," Rahne stated grimly. "But I don't think she could have taken it. Something about family keeps you tied down even if they hurt you."

Eyes flickered with curiosity at the Scottish girl; not many knew her story and she wasn't willing to share. The group lapsed back into silence.

In Ororo's arms, the baby yawned and gave a tiny hiccough reminding the white haired woman it was late and that they all needed to go to bed. Xavier realized this too and he broke the silence by telling the students to get up the stairs to their room. Once they were up stairs, the students scattered to their bedrooms. Kitty turned the corner but came rushing back, Ororo, Logan, and Hank had already disappeared into the hallway.

"Professor!"

The man sighed. "What is it Kitty?"

"Like what about Jean and Scott? When do we tell them about the baby? They aren't back yet." Xavier smiled.

"I'll tell them in the morning, Kitty," he said gently. "Right now, though, you should be getting to your bed."

The brunette nodded and ran off to her room, throwing a 'good night Professor' over her shoulder. Xavier chuckled and wheeled himself to his room. A few doors down he heard the cries of the baby, and he sighed. The next few weeks were going to be very, very long.

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**Please please please review! thanks :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok I know it's really short, but I couldn't add anything else to it :) ****Thanks everyone for reviewing :)**

**RemysChere: yea Jamie is adorable :D**

**Deadpole: omg Deadpool! I totally forgot about him! He's hilarious!**

**BooBoo: Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's a French name. _Les Miserables_ is a play that, I believe, takes place in France during the French Revolution :)**

**2Snickers2: lmao Halloween at the mansion must have been interesting!**

**Once again thanks to everybody for reviewing! And of course thanks to my fantastic and wonderful sister who takes the time to look over my writings :)**

**Enjoy!**

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Hank McCoy peered down at his charge and scribbled a number onto his clipboard. It had been three months since that Halloween night when their newest member had arrived at their doorstep, and Hank had insisted on giving her another check up. The baby girl was now six months old and growing fast. Currently, Eponine's attention was now fixed upon the resident Wolverine's hand, seemingly fascinated as to how her hand and his could look so similar yet hers' was so tiny. She scowled and tried to wrap one of her little hands around his finger. The infant let out a whine when her hand didn't wrap all the way around.

Hank chuckled and scribbled something else down. Logan shifted on his feet, eyes never leaving Eponine.

"How much longer is this gonna take, Blue," he huffed. "The girl is healthy! That's all you needed to note, and look, it took me approximately two seconds to tell you that, while it's been taking you 45 minutes to an hour!"

"I _know_ she's healthy, Logan," the Beast told his friend patiently as he scribbled something else down and turned to unravel the measuring tape. "When she turns one, I'll keep her to an annual check up, but for now I will stick with once a month. She is still just an infant, my friend. That makes her more vulnerable to a lot more diseases and nobody wants to stay awake with her if she catches the measles or other such viruses."

"We _already_ stay up the night," Logan grumbled. "The kid didn't let poor Ro get any sort of sleep! It's why we agreed to rotate staying up with her by the week in the first place."

"Hm, you are right there," Hank mused as he noted something _else_ onto his clipboard. "Perhaps it will all stop when she turns one. Now lay her on her back and keep her still, I need to measure our young friend." Logan grumbled, but did as he was told. The baby squirmed and waved her arms up in the air. Hank went to put the tape near her and the little girl gave a wail and started to cry. Both men looked at each other nervously. Hank searched for something to entertain the baby, but found nothing. Logan growled.

"Absolutely _not_! There is no real reason to cry." Holding his hand a foot above the waving arms of the infant, Logan unsheathed his claws with a distinct _'sknit'_ sound and angled them so the metal caught the light. The baby hiccupped to a stop and stared up at the shiny metals. Logan smiled.

"There you go, Blue. Make it quick, who knows how long this will hold her attention." Hank grunted and immediately set about measuring the now still child. The little girl giggled as Logan moved his claws, causing the light to dance.

"You're quite a handful you know that Ponine," he told the enchanted baby. "I can only imagine the trouble you'll put us through when you reach high school."

The two men looked at each other and froze momentarily. Hank shuddered and wrote down her height. "I don't want to _begin_ to imagine the trouble." Logan nodded his agreement.

"On second thought, kid," Logan said. "Grow to the age of about seven and stop there." The baby girl blinked her large brown eyes and continued to watch the light dance, giving a toothless grin.

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**once more please please please review :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**YAY! I _finally_ got this chapter done and up! I kept getting interrupted whenever I would sit down to type. Thanks everybody for reviewing! It still makes my day when i get a review...I think I'm driving my sister crazy actually... how sad...Anyways thanks so much :)**

**2Snickers2: lol thanks :) I'm really glad you like it XD **

**Shiner: aw thanks! And trust me, everything I write I usually have my sister look over for grammar and stuff, it helps when you have someone look it over :) They point out mistakes and then you can fix it, you should have someone look over the stuff you write, whether they know the background or not =)**

**Once again thanks so much everybody :) **

**Enjoy!**

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The mansion doors opened with a bang, letting in a draft of cold air and snow as the hyper teens ran inside to escape the cold. Kurt dropped his school bag just inside the entrance and let out a whoop.

"Winter break, I am so ready to party!"

He and Bobby high-fived as Ray, Tabitha and several of the others let out crows of delight and rushed off to make phone calls, plans, and hot cocoa. Last to walk through the front door were Ororo and Rogue. The weather witch quickly left her coat on the rack and her boots by the cubbyhole, taking off to find Eponine, leaving the striped-haired girl to smile and shake her head at her brother's outburst.

"Oh, c'mon Rogue! Have a little fun; it's winter break! No school, no homework, no school, no Principal Kelley, and did I mention the part of there _is no school_!"

Rogue stomped her feet on the mat and moved to the overloaded coat hanger.

"Just because _you_ have _no homework_, little brother, does _not_ mean that _I _don't have homework," the southerner drawled, shrugging out of her coat and placing it gingerly on a hook. Kurt made a face.

"Who could possibly be so cruel as to give homework now! Have they no heart?"

The Mississippi girl slung her bag over her shoulder and put a hand on her hip.

"Do you or do you not know who Mr. Spielgmann is," she demanded. Kurt's eyes widened in horror

"Oh man, I totally forgot you had him," Kurt 'bambfed' over to her and gave her a hug. "I am so sorry _miene Schwester_, that man is totally heartless!" Rogue patted his back awkwardly, and he let her go with a sympathetic look. His face brightened immediately, however, too quickly for genuine sympathy; nothing, it appeared, was going to damper his high spirits and expectations of winter break. Not even infamous Mr. Spielgmann.

"I smell _heiße Schokolade_. I will meet you in the kitchen!" He gave her covered shoulder one last pat before disappearing with a 'bambf' and the smell of brimstone. Rogue sneezed and waved away the smoke, kicking off her boots. She trotted up the stairs and entered her room. Tossing her bag on the floor, Rogue flopped face down on her bed.

"I _hate_ the cold," she informed her pillow.

Downstairs, Ororo sipped on hot tea and kept a watchful eye on Tabitha and Amara, who were tickling and cooing at six month old Eponine. Jamie was curled in an armchair, clutching a mug of hot chocolate while watching the two girls curiously. He didn't understand their obsession with the baby. He took a gulp of chocolate, leaving behind a hot chocolate mustache on his upper lip and continued to observe. The eleven-year-old tilted his head and wrinkled his nose when the baby started to cry.

_Babies are so troublesome_, Jamie thought. _They aren't good for much. They poop, cry, pee, cry some more, and break things. _The two girls tried to soothe the infant who let out another scream. Jamie buried himself into the chair as Amara looked at Ororo anxiously. The white haired woman sighed, handed the brunette her cup of tea and took the screaming baby girl away from the wild blonde. She patted Eponine's back and murmured soothing words. Gradually the cries lessened and came to a sniffling stop. The weather witch gave the now-sleeping baby back to Tabitha.

"I trust you can put her in the pen?" Tabitha nodded and Amara handed Ororo her tea before rushing off to the kitchen. With a sigh, Ororo fell back onto the couch and drained the contents of her cup. She caught Jamie's curious stare and raised an eyebrow. The boy blushed and left the warm living room to join the chaos in the kitchen, unwilling to ask her why women were obsessed with babies. Tabitha carefully placed the sleeping infant in the pen and watched her breathe for a few seconds before heading up the stairs to change into something comfier. On her way out she passed Logan, Hank, and the professor, all who had looks of determination set on their faces. She shrugged and ran up the steps.

"Ororo," Xavier called. The woman raised her head and looked at them. "The three of us need to speak with you." She raised an eyebrow, to which Logan responded to with a deep grunt and Hank with a nervous cough. "Now we discussed this in great detail-."

"We didn't want you to be anxious-," Hank added quickly.

"But we felt it would be best if-," Xavier continued. Ororo's eyes flickered between them.

"At least, we believe it's time-," Hank stuck in. Logan rolled his eyes.

"We're sticking 'Ponine in the girl's wing," he stated firmly. The weather witch narrowed her eyes. "We need the sleep and it's not as if she's in a completely different _house_, just a different hallway. Stripes and Red are old enough to take care of her if she wakes up and the rest can go fetch you if something major happens."

"Eponine isn't _old enough_ yet! She needs constant supervision and attention," the woman insisted. "Give it a few more months." Logan shook his head.

"Ro, she's getting her own room by the end of this week. We are giving her the room between Red and Stripes with Half-Pint. We have 'Ponine covered. Besides," he added. "You leave for New York City on Wednesday and Eponine is staying here." Storm bit her lip and sighed.

"It would be nice to sleep an entire night again," she admitted. The three men visibly relaxed. Logan and Hank had had enough of Eponine's cries, and their sensitive ears were starting to ache, Xavier was glad to have the baby's garbled "thoughts" dampened by the distance. Storm gave them a stern look. "This doesn't mean I agree with the situation in any way."

Xavier gave her a small smile. "Of course, Ororo, but I do believe it is the best we can do."

"And we'll get you a baby monitor," Logan added, hoping to entice his friend. Her features relaxed and she nodded reluctantly. The three men glanced at each other, the relief evident in their eyes.

"I do believe that some of the students are getting picked up on Wednesday," Xavier said, changing the subject. "Christmas is right around the corner and some of them were hoping you would give them a ride into the city."

"I assume that is my cue to round up the shoppers?" She asked with amusement. Logan grumbled something about 'checking up on the runts' and disappeared. Xavier chuckled at his friend's escape.

"If you are willing to step into the cold once more."

"I'm a weather witch, Charles. A little snow won't do much to me." The woman said with an indifferent shrug. The bald man nodded. "I'll leave in thirty minutes." She pushed herself off the couch and left the room.

"Thank you, Hank," he murmured once Ororo was out of earshot. "I believe that little Eponine will do just fine in the girl's wing." Hank smiled widely.

"No problem, my friend. I was rather desperate to put some space between my ears and her cries."

Xavier winced slightly. "Mm, you and me both." He rubbed his temples. Hank loped off to the med-bay, claiming that he had paperwork to do. Xavier wheeled himself over to the pen and looked at the sleeping baby.

"You, my dear," he told her softly. "Are going to give us all sorts of trouble." Eponine sighed and her mouth opened to form a little 'o'. Xavier nodded and put his fingers to his temples.

_Students, in thirty minutes Ororo will be going to the city. If you have any plans, whether they be Christmas shopping or meeting up with friends, meet her at entrance. She has agreed to take you._ He heard a few thoughts pondering whether it was worth going out into that snow. _For_ _those that stay behind, I am sure Logan has a Danger Room session he can run._ He laughed to himself as those "pondering"s turned into definite 'yes, going back into the snow is worth it'. There really was no session with Logan, he just needed the excited teenagers out of the mansion for a while.

An hour later, the large group was finally on their way. Xavier watched them go from the window. He had stayed behind with Logan, Hank and Rogue. The second Logan had heard the sound of running feet, he darted off to the Danger Room and started running a program. Hank had stayed on the porch until the two vans were through the gate, then loped back into the mansion and down to the Med Bay. Rogue hadn't bothered to leave the warm confines of her bedroom. By the left window near the piano, Eponine stirred in her pen and gave a cry, informing anybody within earshot that she was awake and looking for attention. Xavier sighed and wheeled over.

"What are we to do with you?" The baby merely yawned and reached up her arms, slowly blinking her brown doe-like eyes. The powerful mutant chuckled and reached his arm over and his fingers tickled her belly causing her to squeal and kick up her tiny feet. His smile widened when she grasped his finger. She put her right hand to her mouth, palm up, to suck on her middle finger as she had come to do. He peered down at her.

"That, child," he told her. "Is a very strange way of sucking your finger." Eponine smiled at him, showing her pink gums. He laughed and withdrew his hand. Her little nose scrunched up and she started crying. A terrible smell reached Xavier's nose and he coughed. _Rogue I am afraid I need your assistance_, he called. He got no response and realized that the striped-haired teen was asleep.

_Rogue!_

Upstairs, Rogue jerked awake.

"Wha," she slurred. "What's happening?" She got no response and yawned, ready to go back to her nap.

_Rogue I need you down here,_ she heard. She sighed and rolled of her bed, snatching her gloves off the nightstand. She tied her two-toned hair into a ponytail on her way down.

"Professor," she called, following Eponine's wails. The telepath was looking at the baby, seemingly frustrated. Rogue called him again. His head jerked up and he gave her a relieved smile.

"Ah, there you are. Eponine needs changing," he told her. "Would you mind-?"

"Professor, I am _not_ changing her!" Rogue exclaimed, horrified. The professor shook his head.

"That isn't what I was going to ask." Rogue blushed in embarrassment. Eponine continued crying in her pen. "I need you to take her down to Hank. I would do it myself but-" he gestured to the chair and Rogue nodded in understanding.

"It's OK Professor. I'll take her down." He smiled at her gratefully and exited the room before calling back:

"Oh, and Rogue," the girl looked over from the pen. "Can you give her a bath? Ororo won't be back with the others for a while and Eponine needs to be washed." Rogue made a face as he left, sending a 'thank you' over his shoulder. Rogue scowled down at the crying baby.

"Can't touch anybody without rendering them unconscious but, hey, why don't I give the six month old baby a bath?" She muttered sarcastically to no one in particular. The room gave no response; Eponine just wailed louder.

.oOo

Wednesday rolled around soon enough, and the students went off to visit their families as they did every year. The one change this year was that Scott was going to spend New Years with Jean and her family after spending Christmas with his little brother, Alex, in Hawaii. They all said their 'good byes' and 'happy holidays' to one another and spent ten minutes each cooing to Eponine. The baby was wrapped up in many layers and was snug in Rogue's hold, the only student to spend the holidays at the mansion. She had rejected Kitty's request of spending it with the Pryde family and had politely turned down Kurt as well; both had an inkling that Rogue was hoping that maybe the thief who had taken her to the Big Easy the year before would show up if she was alone. Rogue, of course, never said a word. As the last van drove through the gates, Xavier, Rogue with Eponine, and Hank turned to go inside, escaping the cold and the snow.

"Well," Hank sighed. "I will be in my lab if you need me." Xavier nodded.

"I have bills to pay," he said and the two men went off into the house as Rogue started freeing Eponine of the many coats Ororo had wrapped the baby in before stripping off her own coats and scarf. She blew a lock of white hair out of her face and looked down at the infant.

"We, Eponine, have the house to ourselves," she informed the baby. "Logan - off in Canada. The Professor - paying bills. Hank - playing with chemicals and Storm - off to New York City. What are we gonna do with ourselves?" Eponine said nothing, merely stared at the 17 year old with big eyes and sucked on her finger. Rogue wrinkled her nose and Eponine smiled. "We gotta give you a nickname, sugar." Rogue sat on the couch and laid the baby on a pillow on her lap. The little girl kicked up her feet, and the teen flinched back.

"You can't touch my skin, remember," she wagged her finger at the giggling baby. Rogue sighed and pushed back a lock of white hair, studying the infant on her lap. "Eponine. I don't like 'Eppy' too much and calling you Ponine isn't that much of a difference from Eponine." The six month old reached her slobber covered hand up to Rogue, who eyed the hand warily before submitting her gloved finger to the baby's grasp. Chubby little fingers grasped Rogue's slender one and Rogue gave a soft smile, a sudden longing filling her heart. She would _never _get this again. The next baby to crawl through these halls would have a mother to care for him/her. A father to tickle them silly. Parents who could _touch_.

Tears stung Rogue's eyes, and she shoved them back, blinking rapidly. Eponine tried to grab the fabric of her glove and gave grunt when she failed. Rogue heaved a sad sigh, ridding the depressing thoughts with a shake of her head. The baby continued to pull at the glove and the teenager rolled her eyes. She knew a million things could go wrong, but it was a risk she would take. She slipped off the glove and quickly hid her lethal skin by the sleeve of her purple sweater.

"Here," she told the baby. "You play with this one and I'll find myself a different pair." The baby squealed at her new gift. Rogue picked her up and got up, heading to the stairs, to find a new set of gloves. Just when she had reached the second floor, Eponine dropped the glove and started to whimper, stretching a chubby little arm down to her fallen "toy". Rogue sighed, and altered her hold on her so she could bend down and pick it up without dropping the fragile baby. She handed the retrieved glove back to the whimpering infant.

"Don't cry, Nina," she crooned. "Here it is." The baby gave her a toothless smile and took back the glove. Rogue blinked. "Nina," she said thoughtfully. "I can work with that."

"Merry Christmas Professor!" Kitty's jubilant voice rang through the phone. Xavier chuckled.

"Thank you, Kitty, but don't you celebrate Chanukah?"

"Yeah but, like, nobody else at the mansion does! Besides," she told him brightly. "You, like, tell me 'Happy Chanukah' every year and you don't celebrate it." Xavier smiled. "So, like, where are the others? And am I the first to call?"

"I don't know if you were hoping to be first but you are third. I'm afraid Jean and Scott beat you."

"Drat," she muttered and he chuckled again. "So, what about the others?"

"Hank is down in Med-Bay, Ororo isn't returning from New York City for a few more days, and Rogue took Eponine out to the city."

Kitty remained silent.

"Kitty?"

"Huh? Like, sorry Professor," she said sheepishly. "I was just, like, thinking about Rogue."

Xavier grew concerned. "What about her?"

"Well, I don't know," the valley girl replied hesitantly. "It's just, like, she's there and this time without Scott or, like, another student and, like you said, she's out." She paused. "With Eponine."

Xavier frowned. "I'm afraid I don't understand." The girl hesitated again.

"Never mind," she said quickly. "I'm just overthinking everything is all. Merry Christmas again! Tell Hank and Rogue for me okay! Bye!"

"Thank you, Kitty, I will," he assured her. "Have a wonderful holidays and I'll see you next week."

"I will, Professor! You too!" And with a 'click' she was gone. Xavier hooked up the phone and slumped in his wheelchair. He knew that Kitty could sometimes- okay, _most_ of the time- be over dramatic and read too much into the situation, but on occasion the girl was right to worry. Normally he would wave away her concerns, but this time she wouldn't even _voice_ what was bothering her. His thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing loudly. He sighed and reached over, hitting the speaker button.

"Xavier's Institute, Professor-," he started.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS PROFESSOR! Am I the first to call?" Kurt's cheery voice said and Xavier laughed. It was going to be a _long_ morning, Christmas or not.

Two days later, Rogue was pulling into the garage with Eponine strapped snuggly in her car seat, having just returned from the book store. She turned to park in what she considered "her spot" and slammed the brakes.

"Ugh," she groaned, slapping the steering wheel. There, sitting in _her spot_ was a shiny, red car. Rogue glared at it for a second, then her eyes widened and she really _looked _at the shiny red car. It wasn't just a _shiny red car,_ it was a shiny red, two door _Ferrari_. The roof of the car was black, making Rogue wonder if it slid back, and if the owner of this drool worthy car was a single guy. A _hot_ single guy... that wouldn't mind if she took it out for a spin.

In the back, Eponine scrunched up her little nose and opened her mouth, letting out a demanding cry, rudely yanking Rogue away from her fantasies. The teen grumbled and went to find another spot.

With Eponine in her arms, Rogue went into the mansion. She had one goal in mind: find the owner of that beautiful car. She passed by Hank, and gave the furry mutant the baby who immediately grabbed onto his fur.

"Rogue-."

"Where is the Professor?" She demanded.

He blinked.

"Office, but-."

Rogue took off, taking the stairs two at a time, pausing just long enough to shout "Thanks!" over her shoulder.

"Rogue!" Too late - she was out of earshot. hank sighed, shaking his head. In his arms Eponine giggled as his fur tickled her cheek.

"Well, Charles can tell her I guess." He glanced down at the entertained infant. "We, my dear Eponine, have a new member." The little girl continued to grab fistfuls of his blue fur and tug. "Ouch! Don't tug so hard! Let's go find you something to play with." Hank flinched as she gave a particularly rough tug in response and loped off to find something for the little girl to fix her attention on.

Upstairs, Rogue rapped on the Professor's open door.

"Professor! There is a car in my parking spot!"

Xavier looked up at her, his pen in hand poised over what looked like an application of sorts.

"Ah! Rogue! I was hoping you would come by," he put down his pen. "While you were out with Eponine, we got a new member."

"Professor," she said slowly. "There is a _red Ferrari_ in my parking space! And I _know_ for a _fact _that is _not_ Scott's car!" She pointed in the general direction of the garage. Xavier looked at her, his eyebrows raised. "Well, I was hoping you would tell me who stole my parking spot."

Someone cleared their throat in the doorway. Xavier looked behind Rogue and smiled.

"Ah, Piotr! Come in." Rogue stared at the man in the wheelchair as the Russian came into the office. "Rogue, meet your new teammate." Rogue turned and was faced with a stomach. She looked up and made eye contact with the big man. He gave her a soft smile and stuck out his large hand. Rogue eyed it before placing her gloved one in his. They shook.

"I'm sure the two of you will get along well," Xavier beamed. Piotr chuckled and reached into the pocket of his jeans. He pulled something out and offered it out to the teenage girl. Her eyes widened and she looked up at him.

"Are you serious?"

He grinned. Rogue grabbed the offered object and rushed out of the room.

"I'll be _extra _careful," she shouted from down the hall. The two men heard the garage door open and then slam closed. Xavier rolled over to his window and Piotr stood behind him as the red Ferrari tore out of the opening garage and made its way down the drive way.

"Yes, Professor. The Rogue and I will get along just fine."

Xavier chuckled. "Welcome to the X-Men."

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**we all know what I'm going to ask: please review ^_^**

**Oh, by the way, should I have Kitty with Lance or Piotr? I can never make up my mind! It'll occur in chapters to come but for the part that I have planned idk who to stick her with :/ you can either PM your answer or leave it with your review :) either way I'll see your choice and make note of it ^_^**

**So review! thanks =)**


	4. Chapter 4

**yay! ch 4 is done and up! took me long enough. ch 5 should be comming up soon, its getting edited..slowly.**

**okay so to all my reviewers- Thanks so much for reviewing! :) **

**BooBoo- lol mhm, they are XD and maybe I will bring in Peter Wisdom, but idk who he is :/ he is just a name to me. **

**Shiner-thanks :) and its ok ^_^ it's why I'm asking, couldn't make up my mind**

**2Snickers2- lmao! he is he is! and here is that chapter that i was supposed to create and ch 5 is soon to follow :)**

**Netsuke- thanks :D**

**ok so once again thanks to all my reviewers and those that read but dont review :) Enjoy**

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Jean Grey slipped up the stairs, carrying a single red rose, a dreamy smile dancing on her lips. The rest of the mansion was asleep when she and Scott had split ways to their rooms. She was creeping across the dark hallway, taking care not to disturb any of the students, when she noticed a door slightly opened. At first, she contemplated just closing the door but upon hearing a creak, poked her head in.

Jean's green eyes stretched wide. There, standing in her crib, was the residing one year old. Curls in disarray, Eponine was staring out her open window at the half moon with her tiny mouth open in an 'O'. Jean pushed her way into the room, tucking the rose in her back pocket, and put a hand on the baby girl's shoulder.

Brown eyes met green ones with a blink. Eponine gave Jean a toothy smile and started babbling incoherent nonsense. Jean smiled and picked up the girl, taking her back to her room for the night and made herself a reminder to speak to the professor. Odd things happened to the girl when the sun went down and she had a feeling it was only the beginning.

It wasn't until the next day in the afternoon that Jean got a chance to talk to Xavier. She knocked on his office door and waited patiently.

_You can come in Jean._ She slipped into the room before closing the door quietly behind her. Xavier was waiting for her, an open book and a pile of envelopes on hid desk before him. He gestured for her to take a seat.

"Now, what has been bothering you all day that you couldn't bring up in front of the others?" He asked gently. She wiggled in her seat and pushed a stray strand of red hair behind her ear.

"It's Eponine, Professor."

He raised an eyebrow.

"What about her? There is no problem with her next door to you is there?"

"No no, that isn't the problem." Jean assured him, shaking her head. "Actually I think it's helped having a baby next door to Kitty; she's become a bit more responsible." Xavier smiled and made a sound of agreement. "The problem is Eponine. Nothing terrible," she added hastily. "But it's the little things that I've been noticing. Like how she won't sleep at night. Well I brought it up with Rogue and Kitty. Kitty merely dismissed it as Eponine sticking to the baby criteria of 'not sleeping through the night' but Rogue seemed to know what I was getting at. The nights Eponine won't sleep? The moon is shinning. We noticed it doesn't matter if it's a full moon or a crescent. If the moon is out, she _will not sleep_. When there is a new moon, she cries herself to sleep.

"And it isn't just the moon. It's cemeteries too. I've noticed that whenever I drive by the cemetery she sits in her car seat and just _stares _at it. She'll just stop moving or she'll wake up and _stare._ Occasionally she'll giggle or smile or clap. Professor, that just isn't _normal_!" Jean started wringing her hands.

Xavier took all this information in quietly. He wanted to reassure the teenager that Eponine was just being a baby and that they all acted different but he had to admit that the cemetery business was unusual. He closed the book, pushing it to the side, and rested his elbows on his oak desk, putting his fingers together.

"Has anybody else noticed these behaviours?"

"Yes." The red head nodded. "Actually it was Rogue and Kitty who mentioned to me the part where she cries on nights of a new moon. Scott and Kurt have both noticed her behaviour when passing the cemetery and I spoke to Ororo about Eppy's sleeping pattern when she still had her in her room. Professor, Ororo told me that every night she cried, it always seemed a bit darker outside." Jean waited anxiously for Xavier's verdict.

"Jean, Eponine just turned one. I'm sure this is just a phase and it will all pass," he reassured her with a nod, before reaching out for one envelope and a pen. "If you wish, keep an extra eye on her and speak to me if anything else occurs."

Xavier opened the envelope and took out its contents before unfolding his glasses and placing them on his nose. Jean recognized a dismissal when she saw one. Sighing, she rose from her chair and quietly left the office. Upon hearing the click of the lock, Xavier dropped his pen and took off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose. He hadn't wanted to admit it but the information worried him. This didn't seem like 'just a phase'; it seemed to be significant, though for the life of him he couldn't understand any of Eponine's behaviours. It frustrated him greatly. On the other hand, to his surprised amusement, Jean and Rogue were working together- _willingly_. He was surprised that Jean and Rogue had agreed on something, the two girls were polar opposites. It was unfortunate that it was because of the uncommon behaviours of a child, something that could possibly be a danger.

"A common enemy unites even the greatest of foes,"* he mused and, replacing his glasses on his nose, he resumed looking over the water bill.

Later that night, Jean was silently tucking Eponine into her crib. The little girl was wide awake, her brown eyes darting about with curiosity. Just as the red head pulled the covers over the infant there was a light tap on the door, and Jean looked up just as Rogue slipped into the room.

"You spoke to the Prof today." Rogue questioned, though it was more of a statement than a question.

"Uh-huh," Jean nodded. There was some silence as the two girls tidied up the room somewhat.

"What he say?"

"He says it's 'just a phase'." Jean huffed. Rogue looked at the older girl sharply.

"_Just a phase_? What? Has he been talking to Kitty?"

"Don't know." Jean shrugged, picking up a stuffed cow and placing it in the crib.

Rogue blew a white strand out of her face and waited for Jean by the connecting door to Jean's room.

"Sure sounds that way."

"Unless he was just saying that as a form of reassurance?" The two green-eyed girls made eye contact with mirroring frowns. Rogue shrugged.

"He would do that, wouldn't he." Jean made a sound of agreement and clicked the play button. She lowered the volume so the sound of Mozart was merely a hum in the background. Rogue wrinkled her nose at the instrumental music. Jean unlocked the connecting door.

"Why do you insist on torturing Nina with that stuff?"

"It isn't _stuff_, Rogue! It's _Mozart_!" She walked into her room.

"You really don't believe that nonsense of it being educational do you?" Rogue asked incredulously, following closely behind the other woman. Jean responded with an exasperated sigh.

Midnight rolled around, and Eponine was wide awake in her crib when one of the adjoining doors creaked open. A figure tiptoed in, making as little noise as possible. Eponine stood in her crib, watching the figure stop the Mozart and sticking in a different CD. The figure clicked play and slipped back out, leaving the baby bouncing to the beat of rock and roll.

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**...I'll say it anyway: please review :) pretty please? no cherries though, I'm not particularly fond of them.**

***- so this is a quote I _know_ that some probably important person said. i'm not even sure if this is it exactly, but i still do not own that quote**


	5. Chapter 5

**here we go ch 5 is up :)**

**enjoy :)**

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It was a hot July morning, and Kitty Pryde had every intention on sleeping in until her bladder decided otherwise. It was going to be ten in the morning; across the room, Rogue's bed was neatly made, probably out hiding in the library. Grabbing her covers, Kitty rolled over and dragged the covers over her head. She snuggled deeper into her mattress and closed her eyes again.

_BANG!_ "Kitty! Kitty! Up! Up!" A high-pitched voice squealed. Kitty groaned. There was no way in Heaven or Hell that she would be going back to sleep. Someone flopped onto her bed and, consequently, on her.

"Kitty! Up!" The voice was more insistent, and the bed shifted as whoever it was clambered onto their feet. Having been victim before, Kitty opened her eyes just as Eponine bent her knees, fully prepared to jump on the teenager's bed again. The toddler's brown eyes were bright and her matching brown curls were still tousled from her sleep. Eponine was clad in a bright yellow pajama top, the smiling face of Snow White claiming it's front, with matching blue pants. In her arms she clutched a worn stuffed cow. Kitty moved her legs away as Eponine clambered onto the bed once more and began to hop about merrily, if a bit awkwardly, on her "Aunt" Kitty's bed.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up," the little girl sang. Kitty groaned and sat up.

"Eppy, do you know what time it is?"

Eponine shook her head no, still jumping about. Kitty pointed to her clock, scowling.

"It is ten o'clock. In the _morning_."

The little girl gave one more jump before collapsing on Kitty's lap.

"Ten is a big number." The toddler said, wrinkling her nose. Kitty nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes! Yes it is! Which means that-."

"It's late," Eponine cried out with a smile. "Aunt Roro says that you shouldn't sleep past eight because... because... because...of something." Kitty groaned. If "Aunt Roro" said that, it had to be true.

"Eponine, when did you wake up?" Kitty asked curiously. The little girl shrugged and pointed to the clock.

"I dunno. It was not those numbers on it," the little girl paused and tugged on a curl, shamefaced. "But I woke up when there was a nine. Can you not tell Aunt Roro?"

"Sure. It'll be our secret." Kitty said with a resigned sigh. Eponine's face lit up and she clapped her hands. The toddler held up her cow.

"You hear that Missy? We are gonna have a see-ke-wet!" The brunette teen watched her charge fondly as the little girl spoke to the cow in what Mutant Manor had dubbed EBT – Eponine's Baby Talk. Kitty glanced at the clock and fought back a yawn.

"Okay Eponine, time for you and the cow-."

Eponine gave her an indignant look. "Missy! Her name is Missy!" Kitty wriggled out of her covers; she could be out of bed just long enough to carry the toddler out of her room and into the hallway. She gently placed Eponine on her two feet, the cow clutched in those tiny arms.

"Okay, okay. Time for you and _Missy_ to leave my room."

Eponine wrinkled her nose, catching the older girls' near miss.

"Why?"

"Because I need to get dressed and fix my bed and...stuff."

Eponine peered up at her before nodding.

"Okay. But you have to play with me later!"

"And why is that?"

The little girl looked up at Kitty, giving her the 'are you stupid' look. _She totally stole that from Rogue and Logan_, Kitty couldn't help but think.

"_Because_ it be a special day today!"

Kitty raised an eyebrow. She glanced over her shoulder at the calendar she had on her closet. Today was July 18th. What was so special about July 18th and why did she feel it was important?

"Aunt Kitty! It's my birthday!"

Oh. That was why it was important.

"Aunt Ro told me 'Happy Birthday' so it is my birthday!"

"And how old does this make you?" Eponine giggled, and Kitty congratulated herself for the save. The little girl held up three chubby fingers. Kitty pretended to go into shock.

"_Three_! You are three now! I think I'll have to sit down for this one," with a dramatic 'whew' Kitty plopped herself onto the ground. Eponine's laughter filled the halls. "Well this just makes you a big girl, doesn't it."

"Uh-huh! Aunt Roro says no more diapers now!" Eponine's curls bounced as she nodded happily.

Kitty laughed and got to her feet, gently pushing the new three year old down the hall. The little girl skipped down the halls, hunting other victims to jump on and share her exciting news with. Kitty chuckled and shut the door. It was then that she realized that she needed to pee and tore out of her room, making a mad dash to the bathroom.

Noon rolled around and every single member had been informed, whether nicely or brutally (like jumping on their beds), that today, was Eponine Domnyk's third birthday. And since it was her birthday, she called the shots... well some of them.

"I wanna go to the zoo!" Eponine announced loudly as Ororo passed out slices of rum cake. Eponine gripped the plastic Snow White that had served as a decoration. Silence fell over the dysfunctional family, several of them remembering the last time they had visited the zoo. The memory of the Scarlet Witch controlling their powers still haunted most of them. Xavier handed Ororo a plate.

"Eponine, I don't think that the zoo is a good idea," he said gently. The birthday girl frowned.

"Why?" She demanded. He hesitated.

"Well, sweetheart," Ororo joined in, just as gently. "It just isn't."

"But _why?_ It's my birthday! I wanna go to the zoo! I wanna see the tigers!"

"The people at the zoo," Logan told the toddler. "They don't like us too much, baby girl."

"Why?"

"Because," he said slowly. "We are...different."

"How?"

Logan released his claws. Eponine looked at them, confused. "How many people do you know can make knives come out of their skin?"

She blinked, her brown eyes full of hurt and confusion. "You."

"Anybody else?" The little girl thought carefully, then shook her head, making her brown curls bounce in their pigtails. Logan retracted his claws and gestured to Kurt and Jean.

"How about people who can lift things in the air with their minds or somebody who is blue, fuzzy, and has a tail?" The little girl shook her head again. "That's because we are different. The people at the zoo can't make knives come out of their hands or lift things with their minds or have tails and are blue. They don't like us too much. We are different and that scares them." Eponine fell silent again, playing with Snow White thoughtfully.

"Am I different?" Her voice was soft and filled with her childhood innocence. It hurt the X-men that this innocent child had to suffer because of what others like them had done. It made them hate Apocalypse and the trouble Magneto had caused even more. Logan couldn't answer her.

"We don't know that yet, Eponine," Xavier said with a soft smile. Eppy swung her legs in her high chair.

"Was my mommy different?" On the other end of the kitchen, Jubilee dropped the plate that was in her hand. It shattered with a crash. Bobby moved to comfort his friend. Eponine took no notice, waiting for her beloved "Uncle" Charles to answer her. He hesitated.

"Yes," he sighed. "Yes she was."

"But I'm not?"

"Eponine, please," Jean cut in. "We don't know if you will be different, but we just know you are special." Eponine continued to swing her legs. She was confused. She didn't understand this. She couldn't go to the zoo because there was a chance she was different? That made no sense to her. All she wanted to do was see the big kitties with the tigers with Missy. Maybe if she asked just once more...

"Can we go to the zoo? Pleease? Maybe the people at the zoo will let me in if we tell them it's my birthday." She stretched her brown eyes as wide as they would go, copying a look she had seen Bobby give Jubilee when he wanted her to do something for him. Xavier heaved a sigh and Logan gave him a look.

_Bad idea, Chuck. Don't give in to the puppy eyes._ Xavier looked at his friend and gave a helpless shrug; Logan shook his head.

"Okay, Eponine. But just this once." He added, raising his voice to be heard over the squeal of delight. "And Ororo, Logan and I won't be able to come."

Eponine's smile faltered.

"Why not?"

"Because we just can't."

"Oh."

"So some of the others will take you." The students started talking amongst themselves, knowing that Xavier would want people that could blend in with the crowd. "Pete, if you wouldn't mind taking Eppy to the zoo?" The big Russian smiled and nodded. "And would you be so kind as to take Sam and Amara with you? Their faces aren't as recognizable as some of the others." Piotr nodded.

"No trouble, Professor."

"Well then, lets resume the festivities. Happy 3rd Birthday, Eponine." The little girl beamed. To her, this was the best birthday ever. Of course, such is the luck of the X-Men that good days don't last, and little Eponine would learn that at Bayville Zoo.

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**review please ^_^**


	6. Chapter 6

**I had some trouble writing this chapter. Nothing seemed to sound right and characters seemed out of character. Anyway thanks for the reviews on the last chapter and i hope you enjoy :) chapter seven should get posted faster than this one, i have half of it typed.**

**Enjoy :)**

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Piotr squinted his eyes in deep concentration, making careful strokes with his paint brush. Instrumental Russian music played softly as Piotr let his brushes create a forest. He made one final stroke and sat back with a nod of satisfaction. He looked over his work, pleased with it.

"Hey Uncle Pete!"

Piotr jumped, startled at the outburst. Eponine giggled from her spot on the rolling chair.

"I scared you, Uncle Pete! I scared you!"

"Yes you did." Piotr chuckled. "You are getting very good at sneaking up on people but you had an unfair advantage."

Eponine frowned. "A what?"

"You," Piotr waved his hand in the air as he searched for the right words, "had something I didn't."

"Oh." Eponine tilted her head, brown eyes alit with curiosity. "What did I have?"

Piotr leaned toward the six year old and looked around. Eponine leaned closer, too, her young face lit up eagerly at the prospect of a secret.

"You had the element of surprise," he whispered in his thick Russian accent. Eponines' eyes widened; both sat back in their seats.

"Is that my power?"

Piotr laughed and ruffled her curls. Eponine scowled and fixed her curls awkwardly.

"No, Eppy. I do not think that 'the element of surprise' is your power. That is merely by chance, depending on whether or not your "victim" is paying attention or distracted, like I was." Eponine gave a dejected sigh.

"No fair! I want my powers already!" She hopped off the chair, curls swinging as she punched the air. "I bet they are gonna be super awesome! It would be so cool if I could turn into ice like Uncle Bobby or 'poof' like Uncle Kurt." Her eyes brightened with excitement. "How cool would it be if I could control fire like that crazy guy with the orange hair! Oh! Oh! Oh! What if I could make knives come out of my hands like Uncle Logan or Laura! Wouldn't that be cool, Uncle Pete?" She stopped fighting invisible enemies with non existent powers to look at her Russian "Uncle". Piotr refrained from laughing out loud, opting for just a wide smile. He reached out a hand to tuck a curl behind her ear.

"That would be very cool, little one," he told her, tapping her button nose. "But I do not believe that you will have powers similar to anybody here. I believe you powers will be different - _very_ different." There was a tender moment of silence as the little six-year-old stared into the older man's deep brown eyes, trying to understand what he meant.

"Nina! Where are you?" Rogue's voice filtered up, breaking the moment. Eponine ran out into the hallway.

"Coming Aunt Ro," she shouted. Eponine ran back into the room, her sandals smacking the wooden floor. Piotr leaned forward. Using his leg for support, Eponine went up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Bye, Uncle Pete!" She turned to leave and the light caught the scar on her left arm that was exposed by her flowery tank top. Piotr looked away from her, his gut twisted with guilt. Three years had gone by since that birthday from hell and he still felt guilty. She had been entrusted to _his_ care, and he had failed. There were a million and one things he could have done differently. He should have warned her again, he should have been paying closer attention, he should have noticed the way the "pretty tiger" (as Eponine had put it) was behaving.

Most importantly: _he should have been there._ _He_ should have been the one holding her, not the one on the phone chatting with Kitty. Nobody blamed him but Piotr did not agree. He _knew_, deep in his heart, that the fault was entirely his.

Piotr ran a hand through his thick, black hair with a sigh. Things had been going pretty well on Eponine's third birthday. They had been miraculously allowed in and she had been having a blast, cow clutched under her arm. They got to the tigers and Piotr never saw the tiger shift its attention to little Eponine. He never noticed how it went towards her. He never saw it leap until it was too late. He remembered her shrill scream, the blood, the screams of the crowd, the roar from the tiger. He could still remember how those claws had cut almost to her bone andhe still wondered how her arm had remained attached to her body. He remembered how Sam and Amara, although terrified, had worked together. Sam had Eponine in his hold while Amara had created fire. He remembered turning into steel and giving the tiger a strong enough punch that it let go of its hold on Eponine. He remembered the crowd noticing that they were using powers, how they had scattered, called the cops. "Mutants are attacking" they were screaming. He faintly recalled wondering why he saw police but not an ambulance. He definitely remembered the anger he felt when they stopped them from taking Eponine to the hospital, how he felt when the guns had been pulled on _them_.

Exhaling, he let his head fall into his hands.

Soft footsteps sounded on his floor and small hands rubbed his shoulders before wrapping around his broad shoulders. Lips kissed his cheek.

"Pete, it wasn't your fault," Kitty whispered, pressing her cheek against his neck. His large hand covered her little one.

"Yes it was, Katya," he whispered back, a tear rolling down his cheek. "I should have been paying closer attention. I should have been the one holding her." Kitty kissed his cheek again, then the corner of his mouth. Piotr pulled her onto his lap, and she gently kissed his mouth; Kitty held his face tenderly.

"You aren't psychic, baby," she said quietly, pressing her forehead to his with her eyes closed. The twenty-one year old woman took a deep breath, taking in his husky scent. "You couldn't have known what was going to happen. She is alive, you are alive, Sam and Amara are alive; that's all that matters."

Piotr opened his mouth to protest but Kitty silenced him with a kiss. He sighed, wrapping his arms around her small waist and allowed his girlfriend to make him forget what he had done, at least for a while because he would never forget. Ever.

"Look, Aunt Ro! Look at me!" Eponine called, her arms swinging as she skipped along on the sidewalk, her little sandals smacking the pavement. Rogue smiled. It was her turn to take the hyper child to the park and she had every intention of bringing home an exhausted Eponine.

"Careful, sugar," Rogue warned. "Those shoes aren't meant for that much activity." The little girl nodded, her curls bouncing around her face. Rogue fiddled with her gloves, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, and she was sure it wasn't the heat. She cast a wary look about before shrugging it off. Eponine waited for the older woman to catch up to her before skipping off again. As they neared the cross walk, that feeling came back and Rogue shot a glance over her shoulder. She scanned the street but nothing stood out of the ordinary, and so she grabbed Eponine's hand. They crossed the street, the six year old dancing on her toes as she dragged Rogue with her.

Once safely on the other side, Eponine let Rogue go and started up the skipping again.

"I'm gonna go on the swings first! They are the bestest! Then the slides, then…" Eponine began listing what she was going to do and Rogue cringed at the mention of the sandbox. As they drew upon the park gates, Rogue looked over her shoulder and stopped. She stared at the sidewalk behind her, where Piotr's drop-dead-gorgeous car was stationed and atop of which she could have sworn she saw…

"What are you looking at?" Eponine tugged on Rogue's hand, her brown eyes curious.

"Nothing, Nina. Thought I saw something." Eponine peered up at her.

"What was it?"

"Um, a squirrel. But it's gone now," she hastily added, grabbing Eponine's arm just as the six year old went to investigate. "So come on. Let's go."

Rogue moved quicker than usual, pulling Eponine along. If she saw what she thought she saw, she had to be cautious. Once inside the park, Eponine took off for the swings, the "squirrel" forgotten. Rogue slunk off into the trees, keeping an eye on both her charge and the gate.

Sure enough, a man wearing a brown trench coat and sunglasses swaggered in. Rogue couldn't help but snigger. Nope, he couldn't just _walk_. He had to _swagger._ His hands were thrust deep into the pockets of his jeans and his white shirt clung to his Greek-God body.

Rogue scowled and mentally slapped herself on the back of the head. No, she was not going to think about how amazing he looked…not that he looked amazing, because he totally didn't, but if he did she wouldn't think about it because he wasn't.

The man's head was tilted downward so he wouldn't attract much attention, but Rogue knew he was looking. Those eyes never missed anything. No matter what. Rogue continued to watch as he walked – swaggered – about before sitting on the bench. Rogue crept up behind him and planted her fists on her hips.

"Almost didn't recognize you out of your uniform, sugar," Rogue drawled. The man turned, grinning lazily. Rogue scowled. _He didn't even jump!_ He got up and walked around the bench to face her.

"Aw _cherie_, you didn't recognize me? I'm hurt, _chere_, I'm hurt."

"Almost, Cajun," she snapped. "I said I _almost_ didn't."

"What gave me away?" Gambit asked her with a smirk, leaning against the back of the bench. Rogue crossed her arms, putting as much effort as possible into not wiping that smirk off his face with a well-aimed punch. He tilted his head, hands still in his pockets. "_Non, cherie_. I'm serious."

"You're stupid trench coat. It's summer, Cajun." Her scowl deepened. "And don't call me that, Swamp Rat!"

Gambit placed a hand over his heart dramatically.

"Swamp Rat? Your words wound me, _chere._ And if I'm a Swamp Rat, then you must be _mon_ River Rat, _non_?" Rogue heard the wink in his words.

"I'm not _your_ anything, Swamp Rat!" She spat. It only earned her a larger grin from Gambit.

"Aunt Ro! Aunt Ro! Look how high I am!" Eponine's squeal interrupted their bickering, as both mutants glanced over to where Eponine was rocking herself higher and higher on the swing set. Rogue looked past Gambit, he looked over his shoulder.

"That's pretty high, Nina," Rogue called back. "Maybe you should slow down." Gambit smiled at her sweet tone, almost wishing she would talk to him like that. Eponine's laughter reached their ears.

"No!" She called back in a sing-song voice. Rogue couldn't stop the smile.

"Cute _fille_," he commented, looking back to Rogue. She didn't look at him.

"Didn't think Jeanie and Scooter be having any _enfants_ so soon, though. They even married?"

"Engaged. She isn't theirs."

Gambit raised his eyebrows.

"_Le chat _is finally with Muscles I heard." He commented.

"Muscles?" Rogue shot him a frown, never taking her eyes off Eponine.

"Colossus," Gambit corrected himself.

"Oh, yeah. Kitty and Piotr are together." Rogue nodded, before shooting him a stern look. "And they are _happy._ He's good for her. Don't go tearing them apart!"

"Hey, I'm not here to be a home-wrecker." Gambit put up his hands in surrender. Rogue pressed her lips together, looking at him cautiously, then nodded and turned back to Eponine. The girl was trying to climb up the giant yellow slide, laughing every time she slid back down.

"So? The _fille_ has brown hair-"

"She isn't theirs either." Rogue interrupted, rolling her green eyes. "They just got together! Just about a year. They aren't ready to even talk about marriage."

"Well, then that leaves it to one person I can really think of." Gambit looked at her, eyes narrowed and piercing through his sunglasses. His tone was bitter when he drily asked, "Whose the father?"

"Don't even go there, Swamp Rat," she told him tartly. "She doesn't look the least bit like me so you just take those words back!" He was still gazing at her but Rogue noted how his stance relaxed after she disconfirmed his accusation.

"So, what, she's just some random _fille_ you X-men picked up? Isn't she a little young to already have her powers?"

"She doesn't have powers yet, Gambit," Rogue snipped. "And you can run back to Magneto and tell him that he can't have her!"

"I don't work for him anymore," he told her blandly. Rogue gave him a hard look but concluded that the Master Thief was telling the truth. She pressed her lips together. Something wasn't quite right. He was hiding something. She was tempted to interrogate him of it but decided that a playground with Eponine in it was not the best location for such an activity.

"So what's the story with her, _Cherie?_" Remy queried, a little too nonchalantly for her to be at ease with the question. "Xavier just picked her up?"

He gave her wary expression a cheeky grin and knocked down his sun glasses, his red-on-black eyes dancing with mischief, curiosity, and something else that Rogue couldn't pinpoint.

"_Non_, _cherie_, I'm curious."

She looked him over quietly before deciding that Remy wouldn't take off with the six-year-old girl.

"Long story short, she showed up at the mansion as an infant," Rogue told him in a 'you won't get more than this' tone. "We've been looking after her ever since."

"Not well enough apparently," Remy commented, taking note of the scars on Eponine's left arm. Rogue's eyes narrowed.

"That wasn't Pete's fault! Nobody could have seen that the tiger was going to attack!"

"Oh, so that's the little girl that got attacked at the zoo _trois_ years ago!" Remy looked back at Eponine, her curls tied in a messy, self-made ponytail. "Huh, she's grown up quite a bit. I remember seeing her. On television," he added quickly when Rogue looked at him sharply.

There was a moment of silence between the two mutants, each trying to read and understand the mysteries of the other. A sudden burst of music disrupted the moment. Rogue put the phone to her ear.

"Yes Kitty," Rogue asked calmly, eyes never leaving Remy's. His eyebrows rose at the choice of ring-tone, and Rogue shrugged and made a gesture that clearly meant 'it's Kitty, what would you like me to do?'. Remy studied her quietly and concluded that Rogue was one _belle femme_. Gone were the dark make-up and the dark clothes. The goth had grown out of that stage and started playing with softer and brighter colours. Pink was still nowhere to be seen but Remy wasn't fond of pink. He brought his eyes back to her face and saw an unhappy expression flicker in her eyes as she diverted her attention back to the little girl who was dangling from the monkey bars. Remy continued to quietly study the woman before him, a frown tugging at her lips. The brooding teenager he had conned into going with him to Louisiana had turned into quite a woman, and Remy was quite content to stand there silently and drink in the sight.

"Ok, Kit. I'm on my way," Rogue closed the phone with a snap and shoved it into her pocket. Remy tilted his head questioningly. The phone call had left Rogue looking very disgruntled.

"Leaving already, Roguey?" He pouted. Rogue rolled her eyes.

"I'm still an X-man, Remy. I've got things to do." With that, she walked away from him. Remy watched quietly as Rogue coaxed the six year old girl down from the slides and led her away from the playground. Remy frowned. He had missed her, and wished he could call her back when his phone buzzed. Remy sighed and dug his phone out. The wistful feeling vanished when he saw the number and was suddenly very glad that Rogue was leaving, taking the child with her. He flipped open the phone and put it to his ear, enjoying the view of Rogue walking.

"_Bonjour_, this be Gambit," he drawled.

"What have you been doing? I've been calling for the past two hours-!_"_

"I've been doing the job you hired me to do," Gambit snapped irritably.

"Why haven't you clocked in? The doctor is very displeased with-!"

"If he is so displeased with my work, then why does he keep paying me? Look, your doctor hired me to get the girl. I'll get her! But stop calling me every _deux _hours or when I talk to your boss I'll inform him that I can't work with his lab rats on my heels!"

Remy watched Rogue leave the park and cross the street.

"Mr. Gambit, you were told the rules and-."

"I told your doctor that I have my own set of rules," Gambit said tensely. "I go by them, not by anybody else's." Rogue turned down the block, and his good view was gone.

"Mr. Gambit-!"

"Oh, and let your doctor know that there has been a slight change in the plan," Gambit interrupted. He pushed away from the bench and turned his back to the street Rogue had disappeared on. "I'm going to live with the X-men after all."

"What! You can't-!"

Remy cheerfully snapped the phone close and pushed it into one of the pockets in his trench coat and strolled away from the park, hands deep in his pockets and whistling a merry tune.

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**review review review pleease :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**ok so this didnt get uploaded as quickly as I had hoped but I blame school. I was doing a summer program at the University of Miami and didnt have much time to think about SLRS. **

**Thank you to all those that reviewed and those that read but didnt review. Special thanks to my sister who edits my chapters.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

A cool spring morning found the institute's residents playing outside. Jean was holding a baby boy in her arms, and a little girl with red hair tugged on her sleeve, babbling incoherent nonsense to her mommy, begging to hold her baby brother. Scott was talking with Bobby, who had escaped his fiancé. The manor was buzzing about the upcoming weddings. When Laura and Alex, Scott's younger brother, began dating, not many people thought it would last. A few of the newer recruits made bets amongst each other on how long they lasted; not one person thought the couple would last a year. True, the couple had their ups and downs more than the usual couple with Laura's past but Alex always seemed to help pull her through. After four years of dating he finally found the guts to propose. The poor mutant was completely baffled and asked him if he knew what he was doing. He simply told her that this was what his heart was asking for and he did love her. To everyone's shock, the hardened mutant started to cry and said yes. A week later (though not nearly as surprisingly), Bobby and Jubilee became engaged. The consents for a dual wedding were finalized.

That wasn't the only event that had the mutants buzzing though. Bridal and baby showers was in order for Rogue, who had finally rewarded Remy's persistence and agreed not only go out with him but to marry him as well (though not without the satisfaction of calling him a complete idiot).

All this excitement had 10-year-old Eponine bubbling with joy. Little Rachael Summers would finally find some entertainment other than staring at her little brother Nathaniel. When Jean had gotten pregnant with Nathaniel, Eponine had been stuck with Rachael. At first she hadn't minded, but when the only thing the little girl did was babble randomly and follow her around, Eppy started to get annoyed. Then the little boy was born and she thought she was free, but she was wrong. If she wasn't at school, she was at the mansion looking after the little girl. Everyone was always busy and never took her, so Eponine took advantage of those precious moments of solitude to go to the movies with her school friends.

That's exactly what she had in mind for today, in fact. She ran through the halls to let Xavier know she was going to the movies with Ashley Simon, her best friend, and then to her house afterward for a dip in the pool. She bounced to a stop in front of his office door and was just about to rap her knuckles upon the door when she heard muffled voices. Eponine scolded herself for forgetting about their visitor. She hadn't seen him herself, but Aunt Rahne had and told her that Professor X was going to be with him for…well, no one really knew.

She huffed in annoyance, torn between respecting the old man's privacy and her desire to go out. It was only going to take up a minute of his time, at most; that hardly counted as a interruption, really. Giving in to her wants, she sucked in a breath and knocked. The voices stopped and Eppy took that as her cue to push on the door. She stuck her head in through the crack and gave Professor X an apologetic sort of smile.

"Hey Uncle Charles, sorry to interrupt, but I can't find Aunt Ro. I'm going to the movies with Ash today, and then to her house to go to the pool. Could you tell her when you see her?"

"Ash, as in Simon?" he inquired. Eppy nodded. Charles reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty, gesturing her to come over. She slipped in, shooting a curious glance at the stranger. His hair was a rusty brown shot through with silver. He was wearing a business suit and his eyes were a startling blue. She took the twenty from Xavier and turned to leave.

"Wait, Eppy," Xavier said as he grabbed her arm. "This is Mr. Lopez, he is thinking of getting a position here as part of the staff. Mr. Lopez, this is Eponine."

"How do you do," Lopez said with a gentle smile. Eponine shuffled her feet, eager to get out of there, but a chill ran up her spine when he spoke. She shivered but said nothing, just stuck her hand into his own and shook it with a simple "I'm good thank you, and you". He chuckled and she took her hand back like it had touched something scalding hot.

"Eager to go out," he said amusedly as she sent a desperate look to Xavier. He gave a nod towards the door and she ran out shouting back a "Bye, thank you!" She heard Mr. Lopez chuckle and the chill ran up her spine again. Something was wrong with him but she just couldn't put her finger on _what_. Eponine shoved the money in her pocket and burst through the front door, sending a wave to Ray, who had looked up quizzically. She hurried to the gate and pulled it open just as a black mini van pulled up. The back door was pushed open and a ten year old with green eyes and blonde hair stuck out her head.

"Come on Eppy! We gotta get in line to buy the tickets still!" The other girl scrambled back to her seat as Eppy hopped into the van and pulled the door closed.

"Hey Mrs. Simon thanks for taking me to the movies," Eppy said as she fastened her seat belt with a click. The older women smiled and said genuinely: "I'm happy to take you. Are your seat belts on girls?"

The two friends looked at each other to check that the other had on the belt and called out in unison: "Yes ma'am" – just as they had done since the first trip like this when they were in the first grade. Mrs. Simon chuckled and pulled back onto the road. Along the way, the two girls talked excitedly about becoming fifth graders and how they hoped that they would have Mrs. Garvalosa together next year, and that they would be glad that Mr. Jacobo was only a fourth grade teacher.

"I heard that Peter has a crush on Jenny," Ashley said. Eppy wrinkled her nose.

"Peter? As in Peter _Jenkins_? Or the other Peter?"

"Nope, Peter Jenkins,"she said simply. "I feel so bad for Jenny because he's so, so...," Ash waved her hands in the air as if hoping to conjure up the most fitting adjective.

"Snobby," Eponine offered. When her friend nodded enthusiastically she rolled her eyes. "I _know_! He's always trying to tell me what to do and then he walks away like he expects me to do it. I asked to borrow his sharpener once, he got all mad."

Ashley's eyes widened. "He _didn't_!"

Eppy nodded her eyes glittering at the memory. "He did." Her best friend gasped.

"So what did you do?"

"I shrugged and walked away," Eponine said proudly. "I did _exactly_ what everyone says you should do in a situation like that." she paused thoughtfully. "Except Uncle Logan never gives that advice."

The two girls giggled. "Let me guess," Ash said between giggles. "He said that you should have hit him?"

Eppy grinned. "Something like that. He said 'You should have at least kicked him, Eppy. Haven't I taught you anything?' Then Aunt Ro got mad at him and he changed his mind, saying 'Uh you did the right thing Eppy', then he added under his breath 'Next time teach him a lesson'."

Both girls burst into laughter. Mrs. Simon shook her head. At first, she had been wary of Eponine. The girl didn't know who her parents were or how she got there. She had been taught martial arts by her 'Uncle' since Eponine could walk. She lived in a huge mansion with lots of other kids, all older than her and all mutants. When mutants first got out, many of Mrs. Simon's friends were among the first to demand that they be kept apart from the rest of society. Mrs. Simon felt a need to keep them at arms length, so she, too, agreed with registration...until one saved her life.

She'd been on the highway on her way to work when a garbage truck a few cars ahead of her swerved in its lane. The cars ahead of her had turned to the side and, before she had a true grasp as to what was happening, a tire from the truck had popped off somehow and made its way to her car. Next thing she knew, she was held in somebody's arms and her car was smashed.

"Sorry ma'am," the man had rumbled as he set her on her feet. She remembered she had turned to thank him, but her mouth had fallen open at the sight of him. The man was huge: at least seven feet tall with big, burly arms. The minute she saw his face she knew he was a mutant. His eyes were a glittering yellow with blue pupils.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save your car," he had said apologetically, running a big hand through his black hair. "I guess I wasn't fast enough."

"I have nothing to give you," she said bluntly. The man blinked in confusion. "I have no money for you."

"I don't want money, ma'am," he had said with a frown. "I just saved your life. I don't want anything, not even a thank you."

He turned to walk away, and Mrs. Simon smacked herself on the head. "Thank you," she called. He stopped walking, stumped. "For saving my life when you didn't have to."

"I did have to save your life miss," he had said smiling sadly. "If I'm going to have a mutation that makes me a freak to the rest of the world I might as well put them in good use and help people, not hurt them; it's how I was brought up."

Mrs. Simon was snapped back to reality when one of the girls laughed.

"So how's Rachael handling Nathaniel and Mrs. Rogue's soon-to-be baby?"

"She's just fine," Eppy said, waving her hand in the air. "I'm worried about Aunt Rogue though. She doesn't seem to think she could actually do it."

"Do what?"

"You know, become a mom. I guess though that with all those years of not being able to touch she's kind of nervous."

"I can't believe that your Aunt Kitty finally married Piotr," Ash squealed excitedly. Eppy's eyes lit up. Talking about her favourite Aunt Rogue wasn't something Eppy liked to dwell at because there was so much to the woman kept hidden that she found out by accident. Like the worry that hit her when Rogue thought she was going to lose the baby or the fact that Mystique learned of the pregnancy and stopped by, making Rogue very agitated. The only two people that could get her to calm down when she got into one of her states were Remy (obviously) and Logan.

"I know! When it was announced to the rest of the family Rogue and I said the same thing 'about time'," Eppy said with joy. The girls chatted about all sorts of things and 'how lucky' Eppy was to attend a dual wedding, a baby shower, and help throw a party for Nathaniel, who would be one in a month, as Mrs. Simon circled the parking lot and pulled into a slot.

The two girls stayed close to the older woman as she bought the tickets and then the popcorn and drinks talking about the movie they were going to see. They entered the theatre and took their seats.

"Why don't you girls go to the bathroom real quick before the movie," Mrs. Simon suggested. "That way you don't have to leave during the film."

The girls nodded and hurried out. Both did their business and went to wash their hands.

"I'll wait for you outside 'kay," Ash told Eppy who had started to wash her hands.

"Sure, I'll be out in like two seconds." Ash left and Eppy had the bathroom to herself. Eppy dried her hands and checked herself in the mirror, double checking that her shirt hadn't gotten wet.

"Hi," a shy voice said behind her. Eponine turned with a start. It was a little girl around her age with jet black hair and green eyes, wearing jeans and a baby pink t-shirt.

"Hey," Eppy said with a smile. "Are you here to see _Shrek_ too?"

Green eyes flickered with confusion. "No I'm waiting for my mom here just like she told me to. I'm getting bored though and anyone I try to talk to just ignores me."

"You're waiting for your _mom_? How long has she been gone?"

The other girl shrugged. "I don't know, I'm not really keeping track of time," she stuck out her hand. "I'm Monica Westfield by the way."

"Eponine Domnyk," Eppy said shaking the other girl's hand enthusiastically. Both girls smiled and Eppy went to say something when Ash rushed in.

"Eppy come on! We're gonna miss the movie," she grabbed her hand and hauled her out. Monica's face fell slightly, but brightened when Eppy waved and said "Bye! Nice meeting you!"

The two friends raced to the theatre and took their seats. Ashley leaned over and whispered:

"Who were you saying bye to?"

"Monica," Eppy whispered back. "She was waiting for her mom. You didn't see her?"

Ashley shook her head. "No I didn't see anybody." Eppy frowned.

"That's impossible, she was standing right in front of me! How could you have missed her. She had these real pretty green eyes."

"Nobody was there Eppy," Ash replied in confusion. Eppy stared at her and went to say something when Mrs. Simon tapped her daughter on the knee and put a finger to her lips.

"We'll talk later, Eppy."

As the movie began, Eppy found it hard to concentrate. How could Ashley _not_ have seen her? She had been standing _right there_! But by the middle of the movie, Monica Westfield was a name in the back of Eponine's mind, practically forgotten.

By the time the credits began to roll both girls were bouncing in their seats with the dire need to pee. Mrs. Simon laughed and told them she'd meet them outside the restroom. The kids took off into the crowd, making a beeline to the ladies room.

Eppy was the first one out this time and was once again at the sink pushing her sleeves up when there was a tap on her shoulder. Eppy jumped then broke out into a smile.

"Monica! You scared me." Monica smiled and mumbled an apology.

"Here," Monica said. "Let me help you."

As Eppy put some soap on her hands, Monica turned on the faucet. At that precise moment Ash came out of the stall and stared with her eyes wide as the knob turned by itself and the water came out.

"Thanks Monica," Eppy said and stuck her hands in the water. She caught sight of Ashley staring in the mirror and grinned. "What's wrong Ash? Believe me now about Monica?"

"How'd you do that," the blonde asked sharply. Eponine furrowed her brow.

"How'd I do what? Ash what's the matter with you?"

Ashley pointed at the sink. "It turned on all by itself."

Eponine shot Monica a quizzical look. The black haired girl shrugged. "Nooo. Ash, Monica turned it on while I got some soap."

"Monica doesn't exist," Ashley spat. "There is nobody there Eppy! You somehow turned it on!"

Tears sprung into Monica's eyes. Eponine grabbed paper towel and dried your hands.

"How could I have turned it on without touching it," Eponine asked frustrated. "What's gotten into you, Ashley! You aren't like this!"

"Nothing has gotten into me! _Nothing_ is wrong with _me_! You're the one I'm worried about! You never had an imaginary friend and suddenly you spring this on me!"

"Spring what," Eppy growled. "Making new friends?"

Unnoticed to the arguing friends, Monica was watching them looking very agitated.

"No! Eponine you're talking to yourself," Ash shouted. Why couldn't her friend see? Eponine glared angrily.

"You know what Ash this is-," suddenly her knees buckled and the room spun. The anger on Ashley's face faded and she rushed to Eponine's side. "Whoa, dizzy."

"Maybe we should take you home," Ash said with worry. "You don't look so good."

Eponine nodded. "I don't _feel_ too good."

Ash helped her friend out and Monica placed a hand on Eppy's shoulder.

"I'm sorry I brought you into this," she whispered and took her hand back as the friends left the ladies room. "But I wanted to talk to somebody and you finally saw me."

Next thing Eponine registered was that she was in bed. And it wasn't just any bed, it was _her_ bed. A cool hand was running through her hair and it felt good. Eppy rolled over and squirmed slightly hugging a pillow to her chest.

"I'm _fine_ Remy," a southern voice whispered fiercely. "I'm _pregnant_, not made out of _glass_. Go; I've got her."

"You sure, _chere_," Remy asked in the same hushed tone with concern. "I don't want anything to happen to you, the _jumeaux_, or the _fille._"

"Remy," Rogue said impatiently. "She's _ten years old_. If the gene got passed over, she's much too young for it to activate. She probably has a cold or something."

"All the more reason to take precautions, _non_," Remy implied. "Ok ok. I take that back. But didn't Jamie get his young?"

"True," Rogue admitted ruefully. "And so did her mother, but that's still not a reason to treat her like she might explode at any second." Rogue grunted. "If anyone is going to explode it might as well be me. I'm not meant to carry twins. Oh relax Remy! One of them just kicked is all."

There was a sound of a kiss being given and someone shuffled their way away. The hand never ceased its movement through her hair, and it was slowly bring Eponine back to sleep.

"Can you bring me a glass of water, sugar," Rogue called out. "Thanks." The door closed with a click and sleep recaptured Eponine into its realm. Rogue sighed contently. She kept one pale hand running through Eponine's brown hair; the other she rested on her bulging stomach.

"Twins," she said softly with a chuckle. "And to think I was dreading being a ma to just one at a time." She leaned back against the head board of the bed, her legs stretched before her. Only three people knew of her carrying twins. They were herself, Remy, and Logan. When Rogue had found out, she burst into tears of despair into Remy's chest and then cried over the fact that she was crying. When the couple had arrived back at the mansion when they were composed, Logan had smelt her anxiety and confronted them about it. She confessed that she was carrying twins. In his infuriating way, Logan had sniffed and said "Of course you are, darling. I could have told you that myself", which of course got her worked up into quite a state. There had been a lot of screaming and crying coming from Rogue, very similar to Rachel's temper tantrums. That night, Remy had ended up on the couch.

Ever since she learned of her pregnancy, Rogue had doubted herself. She never thought she could do any of this. She saw Jean have her first and then her second and never doubted for a minute that Jean would have no real trouble. The woman was practically meant for this whole child-rearing thing. She had done magnificent when Eponine had first arrived as an infant. Rogue always avoided any situation that involved her touching the child and had actually suceeded until one evening. When Eponine was three, she had found Rogue in the gym practicing martial arts on the punching bag. The little girl proceeded to copy and the next thing Rogue knew she was correcting the little girl's form and gently taking her through each process, starting from the basic punch to stances. That had begun to be their "bonding" moments until Logan took over a year later. No one told Eponine that Rogue had been her intro to martial arts; the striped haired woman had simply asked them not to. It was the beginning for the woman with the troubled past and the abandoned child.

After Jean got engaged to Scott, Rogue had somehow taken over as aunt number one, besides Storm of course. The white haired woman was top boss when it came to Eponine and she listened to nobody better than she did to Ororo. Then again, everyone knew better than to disrespect Ororo.

A knock on the door brought Rogue from her thoughts. The door pushed open slightly and Remy slipped in quietly.

"Glass of water," he said handing her the glass. "With lots and lots of ice."

"Thanks Remy," Rogue said with a sigh. "I don't know what I'd do without you." Remy opened his mouth to comment and Rogue cut him off. "Do _not_ make a comment to that."

The man grinned lazily and plopped himself onto the blue beanbag on the ground. "I was just going to say how much I love you, Roguey," he said innocently. Rogue shot him a glare and took a gulp of water before placing it on the nightstand.

"Remy, I was thinking-," Rogue began.

"Monica," Eppy cried jolting upright. Her eyes were wide with confusion and she looked around. "Aunt Rogue I gotta talk to Uncle Charles. I met this girl, Monica Westfield, but nobody else could see her and...and," Eppy started to cry. Rogue took her in her arms and held the child close, murmuring soothing nonsense while staring at her husband wide eyed. Remy stared back with a stumped look on his face. Both had the same thought.

Of course no one could see her. Monica Westfield was _dead_. The girl had been murdered three years ago in a movie theatre bathroom.

OoO oOo OoO

Remy flipped his phone open and close, open and close as he paced the grounds. Should he call? They hadn't spoken in years. Remy frowned in contemplation. It was just a simple question. It wouldn't get him killed. Remy cursed at his foolishness. It was a simple question! He flipped open his phone and dialed the number.

"_Bonjour_, Belle."

OoO oOo OoO

Rogue tapped her foot impatiently on the wood floor as Xavier touched Eponine's powers with his mind. She was anxious to hear what he had to say on the young girl's powers. Seeing dead people wasn't a particularly usual power. Telepathy? That was pretty normal, two lived under one roof. Electrical charge? That wasn't too strange either. Rogue bit her lip nervously, her right hand rubbing her swollen belly. The silence was getting to her and she stopped herself from saying something several times. Remy had run out of the room and completely out of the mansion. All he had said was that he "needed to make a call"; Rogue made a mental note to ask him about it later.

Finally Xavier sat back and opened his eyes. Eponine followed suit but her eyes darted between Xavier and the space behind him, a confused look on her young face. Neither Xavier nor Rogue seemed to take any notice. The professor turned to Rogue.

"Her powers have indeed manifested rather early," Xavier said, exhaustion lacing his words. "I am rather surprised that they hadn't manifested sooner as her mother's had."

Eponine started at the information about her mother before turning her attention back towards the space behind Xavier.

"They are quite strong and they shouldn't be if they just manifested. I want to keep an eye on them over the next few days. However, I do believe that the bathroom incident should not have occurred at all. There was no psychological or emotional stress at the time that Eponine saw the girl." Rogue nodded, her anxiety dying down with every word. He took a breath to continue but Eponine spoke up.

"Uncle," she called. Rogue and Xavier looked at her. Eponine glanced quickly over Xavier's shoulder. "Who – who's Moira MacTaggart? Sorry, Special Agent Moira MacTaggart." She gave an apologetic smile to the space. Xavier paled and gave his full attention to the ten year old.

"How do you know that name?" He demanded. Eponine shrunk at his harsh tone.

"She told me," she said gesturing to the empty space. The two adults looked.

"Nina, sugar, nobody is there," Rogue said gently. Eponine scowled.

"No! She's there! She has brownish eyes, she's white, she's about Aunt Roro's height, and she has brown-!"

"Auburn," Xavier corrected quietly. "Moira has auburn hair." The office fell into a hush. Then Xavier spoke again. "Tell me, Eponine, you can see her and speak to her?"

"Yes, Uncle Charles. I can see her and speak to her."

"What does she look like?"

"I just told you, Uncle!"

"No, not her physical appearance, her," he hesitated. "Her substance, I guess one could say."

"I don't get it," Eponine said quizzically. Rogue sat still, barely daring to breathe.

"Is she glowing or something?"

"Oh," Eponine furrowed her brow and looked at the woman only she could see. "Well, um, she's kinda glowing. Like there is a little white light all around her that touches her, but no she's not? I guess?"

"Why is she here?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"You ask her," he told her, giving her a look. Eponine bit her lip sheepishly and mumbled something. She straightened up, cheeks burning with embarrassment, and directly spoke to the air.

"So, um, can you hear him or do I have to repeat whatever it is he has to say?"

"No, I can hear him," the woman said in amusement. Eponine's face lit up.

"Cool! So, uh, can you, um, you know, tell me?"

Moira chuckled and Eponine's cheeks burned fiercely. "Of course I can, but you already know the answer to that."

"I do?"

"Yes. At least you should," she said upon seeing the complete confusion on Eponine's face. "You don't know?"

"Um, no?"

"What's going on?" Xavier asked Eponine earnestly. The girl turned to him.

"Well apparently I'm supposed to know why she's here but I don't so now she's muttering some very bad words as to how I could not know. Exactly what is that I don't know?"

"Well this is an interesting development," Xavier murmured to himself.

"This is absolutely absurd!" Moira declared angrily. "You should know! You should have been told! Didn't Monica Westfield tell you _anything_?"

"You know Monica?" Eponine asked in surprise.

"Of course I know Monica," Moira snapped. "She's dead. The death of a child is felt harshly amongst the adults. I spoke to her myself. _She was supposed to tell you_."

"Monica is dead?" Eponine's eyes filled with tears. Moira failed to notice Eponine's sudden change of emotions.

"Absolutely ridiculous. I need to speak to the Council immediately. I'll be back," and just like that she was gone.

"What is it Eponine? What did she say? Why are you crying," Xavier touched the little girl's knee tenderly. She jerked away fiercely. Rogue reached out to her but Eponine jumped to her feet and glared at them through her angry tears.

"I can see dead people? That's my power? _I see dead people_," she screeched. "Ghosts! Spirits! Whatever you want to call them! It's not fair! I don't want to see people who have died! I hate it!"

"Now Eponine," Xavier said gently. "You don't get to pick your gift-."

"_Gift!_ This isn't a gift, Uncle Charles! This is a curse!" Eponine fled from the office before the professor or Rogue could say much else. She ran down the hall, tears blurring her vision.

"Watch where you're going now, lassie!" A deep Scottish voice said. Eponine stopped and turned around. A man with scraggly red hair was brushing himself down. He wore a torn white blouse tucked into a green plaid kilt. He wore knee high socks with a knife tucked into the left one. Hooked around his kilt was a black leather pouch that had a patch of fur on its center. She sniffled. He looked at her with gray green eyes and shook a finger at her. "You could knock a man over if you don't look where you're going. Keep your chin up, lassie."

"I'm sorry," Eponine sniffled. The man stopped.

"What's this? An apology from the breathing? Ho ho! What a pleasant surprise!"

Eponine paled. There was a white light around him that she hadn't noticed before. It looked like the one Moira was silhouetted by. The man was clearly dead too.

"MacArthur," a woman cried. A woman wearing a large green dress came rushing up to him, red curls falling out of a white bonnet. "What are you doing? Haven't you heard, you big fool?"

"Heard? Heard what? If it's Council business than why don't we take this somewhere else? The poor lass doesn't need anymore trauma."

"Lass?" The woman repeated. "What lass?"

"Well that one right over there, you old biddy! Old women miss nothing besides what's in front of their noses," he told Eponine with a wink. Eponine managed a weak smile. The woman seemed to notice the ten year old for the first time and gave a delighted scream.

"Oh _that_ lassie! Oh this is _wonderful_! I wonder if the Council knows! Oh look at her, MacArthur! She's absolutely splendid! And to think, only yesterday she was a wee bairn. Linda! Linda where are you? Come see!"

Eponine jumped as another woman appeared next to the red haired woman.

"What is it Effie? What's the fuss about?" This woman was short and plump and wore a dark satin dress that belled out from the waist. It was high neck and there was a lacy, white bib underneathe her chin. Her sleeves went all the way down to her wrists. Her black hair was tied up. She also had a white bonnet. Eponine pictured her as a very doting mother with at the very least ten children. She had the same white light as the first two. Effie pointed to Eponine who didn't dare move a muscle.

"Look, our wee bairn has grown up! She's grown into quite a pretty little girl."

"Yes she has," Linda said delightfully, her chiming voice holding a British accent. "You know, she looks just like her mother."

"Her mother?" MacArthur grunted. "Absolutely not. Look at those eyes. Those are definitely Kristen's-."

"Kristen's," Effie screeched turning to the scraggly man. "She's got nothing of Kristen's! That right there is all-!"

"No, Effie," Linda interrupted. Her bright eyes focused on Eponine. "There is definitely something of Kristen in those eyes."

There was a moment of silence as the three ghosts stared at her intently. Eponine stared back. The moment was interrupted by a crash down the hall. Eponine jumped as MacArthur scowled.

"That would be Mr. Wagner, that would. Bloody teleporter," he began muttering to himself as he floated off, straight through the wall. Linda and Effie sighed.

"Well, lassie," Effie said brightly. "I had a wonderful time, but it must come to an end. I've got people to look after."

"As do I," Linda sighed. "It is so good to speak to you again." The two women floated away, whispering. Eponine let out a shrill scream and ran straight to her room, slamming the door shut and locking it immediately. She locked her windows shut and pulled the curtains closed before shutting off the lights. Eponine sat against the wall, knees pressed to her chest and her curls plastered to her cheeks, breathing heavily. She muffled a sob.

_BANG BANG BANG!_ Eponine jumped.

"Eponine open this door!" Logan howled.

"No! Go away!"

"Eponine! Open the door!"

"Logan, I do think you're going about this rather harshly," Hank said anxiously.

"Well I couldn't have said that better myself," said a British voice. "Absolutely marvelous, Mr. McCoy. You know, Monsieur Dupont, Mr. McCoy is quite intelligent. I'm very proud of his skills, especially those in the literature department-."

"Monsieur Shakespeare," Dupont said in a heavy French accent. "This would be a brilliant conversation; however, at this moment my concern is on the girl."

"Ah yes. Of course. One of us should go check on her."

Logan pounded on the door again, before Hank began arguing with him about breaking down the door.

"The honor is all your, Monsieur Shakespeare." Eponine could just picture the mocking bow and Shakespeare with his ruffled collar shaking gloved hands and backing away.

"No, no, I simply cannot enter. I insist that this be yours. You fare better with children. I insist."

"Well," the French man said, clearly pleased by the compliment. "Just this once. I'm coming in mademoiselle!"

A ghost with a mahogany coat with white ruffles at his throat came in cautiously. He had on a white curly wig that supported a rather large hat with an equally large feather. His face clearly had been painted, covered in a white powder and a fake looking mustache. He saw Eponine pressed against the wall on the far end of the room, brown eyes wide with fear, and gave a gentle smile showing yellowed teeth.

"_Bonjour_, Eponine."

Eponine gave a shrill scream and threw a white mug that happened to be on the nightstand within arms reach.

"_Sacrebleu!"_ He shouted, throwing up his arms, as the mug sailed through him.

"That's it!" Logan shouted from the other side. Eponine ran out just as her door was pulled rather unceremoniously off of its hinges. "'Ponine wait!"

"Wait Eponine! Monsieur Dupont," Shakespeare scolded. "You weren't supposed to scare her. Bloody Frenchmen!"

* * *

**please please review :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**School and college applications have been taking up my time... plus i had a writer's block :) Finally posting this chapter.**

**Enjoy :D**

* * *

**England****, ****1845**

The sky was heavy with foreboding. A crack of lightening split through the sky, lighting the streets of Lancaster with an eerie metallic light before plunging it back into darkness. Thunder roared and rain pelted the ground, fast, thick, and angry. A carriage rattled along a dirt path, four black horses tugging against the reins anxiously. Inside the carriage, a woman sat across from a young girl, bodies swaying slightly to the uneven ride. She wore a bonnet with a broad green ribbon fastened at her throat, making her chin protrude more than it should. Her vibrant green dress took up much of the carriage space, and her hands, iced in long white gloves, lay folded in her lap. The young girl swung her feet, the swishing noise of skirts barely audible over the noise of the carriage and the rainstorm. Her blonde curls were tucked neatly underneath a straw bonnet. Her dress and coat were a feminine pink, and the entire look was topped with a delicate matching flower on her bonnet. She pulled on the curtain and peeked out the carriage window, the cold wind sharply hitting her cheeks and turning them rosy.

"Lizzy," the woman said sharply. "Put back the curtain. I don't want the cold air circulating in here."

"Yes, Mummy," the little girl mumbled and quickly closed the curtain. The carriage fell silent once more and, restless, Lizzy began fiddling with her skirts, winding the satin tightly around her fingers before releasing them, only to repeat the process over again.

"Lizzy," the woman reprimanded. "Stop that. You're too old for such nonsense."

"Sorry, Mummy," she sighed again, and obediently smoothed out her skirt. Her feet never ceased their swinging and, for a while, she was content to stare at her feet as they jerked in and out of view. But eventually she got tired of this and returned to peeking out the curtain, entertaining herself with staring at the trees whizzing by, trying to create images out of them.

"Lizzy," the woman cried, more dangerously this time. "What did I say-?"

"Stop the carriage mummy!" Lizzy called out desperately. She fiddled with the door. "Stop the carriage! Stop the carriage!"

"Lizzy! Good heavens! Lizzy, close that door! Lizzy, stop right there! Stop the carriage, Marcus! Stop the carriage at once, I say! _Lizzy_!"

For Lizzy had noted that the trees were slowly to a stop and, just as the carriage jolted forwards to a halt, the young girl pushed open the carriage door and jumped to the hard ground below. Lizzy stumbled, falling on her hands and knees, and the carriage pulled to a complete stop seconds later. Lizzy brushed her hands on her skirts and took off in the way they had just come, the rain hitting her face. She turned into the trees and hoped she wouldn't trip. The rain hadn't lessened and the only light was that of the lightening. She could hear her mother screaming her name, frantically switching between threats and desperate pleas, but she didn't turn back. She bounded through the trees and climbed over branches. Mud splashed up against her dress, staining the pink, thorn bushes cut her hands and leaves scratched at her face. She stumbled once or twice, getting mud on her hands and face. She was like a beagle following the scent of prey, following some invisible force so that she knew exactly how to get there, even though she did not know where "there" was. She would stop and listen, to what she couldn't specify, but she knew there was something somewhere telling her where to go. There was no sound but the pounding of the rain and the grumble of thunder, almost scolding her for disobeying her mother. She soon came upon a rabbit and a fox. The rabbit huddled at the base of a tree between two thick, gnarled roots, trembling before a grinning fox.

"Don't hurt him!" Lizzy cried, snatching the rabbit away and allowing it to rest quivering in her arms. The fox flattened his ears against his head and bared his teeth at her. "You don't scare me," she told him defiantly.

"Really?" The fox relaxed; quirking an ear at her, a sly smile replaced the menacing snarl. Lizzy took a step back but clutched the rabbit ever more tightly and nodded firmly. "Hm, most humans find me rather…alarming."

"You don't scare me," she repeated. The fox gave a chuckle and sat down, wrapping his tail around his legs.

"It's raining, you know." The fox commented. Lizzy blinked and looked about her, as if noticing the rain for the first time.

"So?"

"So," the fox scoffed, "shouldn't you be by a cozy fire, nice and dry?"

"I was on my way to do just that with Mummy but you were chasing Mr. Rabbit."

The fox twitched his tail with irritation. "That rabbit, human, is my dinner."

The rabbit snuffled anxiously and Lizzy scowled. "No he's not. He _was_ your dinner, but he's not anymore."

"Lizzy!" Lizzy gasped and looked over her shoulder quickly, hearing Marcus call her name. The fox gave a chuckle.

**"**Run along now, human girl. Put the rabbit back on the ground, please, and be on your way."

"No, I don't think so. You must swear upon heaven and earth that Mr. Rabbit will come to no harm."

"Lizzy! Where are you Miss Lizzy?"

The fox grunted. "I swear upon heaven and earth that the rabbit will come to no harm. Now_ run along."_

Lizzy began to kneel.

"No," snuffled the rabbit. "No, no, he will eat me!" Lizzy stood abruptly, rabbit still in her arms.

"How absurd," she told the rabbit. "He swore he wouldn't. He swore upon heaven and earth."

"Don't you know anything about foxes? They are sly creatures. They only swear upon one thing."

"And what's that?"

"You silly human girl! Their tails! They only swear upon their tails! It's the only oath they keep true to," the rabbit cried. The fox's tail swished. Overhead thunder rolled and lightening cracked. Marcus hollered again, sounding much closer.

"Quickly!" The rabbit whispered.

"Mr. Fox," Lizzy declared. "Do you swear by your beautiful tail that Mr. Rabbit will come to no harm?"

The fox hesitated, his hungry, angry eyes darting between the rabbit and the human girl holding it. His tail flicked angrily.

"Mr. Fox," Lizzy repeated sternly, using the tone of voice she used when scolding her dolls for misbehaving at a tea party. "Do you swear by your tail that Mr. Rabbit will come to no harm?"

"I swear by my tail, that Mr. Rabbit will come to no harm," the fox snarled furiously, tail twitching faster with the knowledge that he just lost a deliciously filling meal to a silly human girl.

Lizzy beamed and set the rabbit on the floor. She gave each animal one quick stroke and thanked the fox, telling him that his tail was absolutely radiant, even though it was wet. The fox puffed up at the praise and nuzzled her hand. Both the rabbit and the fox took off under the bushes and Lizzy bid them a farewell.

"I'm here, Marcus," she called, skipping toward his voice. "Here I am!"

Marcus followed her voice and captured her outstretched hand. He scolded her for running off the way she did as he led her back to the carriage. Lizzy walked beside him, not showing the least bit remorse for running off.

"Elizabeth Edwards! Don't you _ever_ run off like that again," her mother scolded, as Marcus helped the little girl into the carriage. "This is absolutely unacceptable! I will have to call upon Mrs. Parkingson and let her know that Matilda cannot come over to play. Lizzy are you listening to me?"

Lizzy swung her muddy shoes back and forth again, her blue eyes bright, and her chin held high as the carriage resumed its uneven movement. A smile played on her little lips.

"Yes Mummy," she replied absentmindedly, and continued to tune out her mother's reprimands happily, knowing that the rabbit had another day to live.

**England, 1855**

"Lizzy! Lizzy come back here!" A woman hollered from a porch step. "Lizzy!"

Blonde curls bouncing freely around her slender shoulders, Lizzy ran with her skirts bunched in her hands allowing her legs movement for longer strides towards the stables. The woman turned and rushed frantically back into the house just as Lizzy found sanctuary in the stables. A stable boy jumped upon her sudden entrance and disheveled appearance.

"Leave," she commanded. The boy didn't move. "Now!"

He jumped and dropped the curry comb into the nearest bucket and scuttled out of the barn. Lizzy gave a relieved sigh.

"You know," a big bay nickered. "You're going to drive yourself mad keeping this to yourself." The other horses whinnied their agreement. She scowled.

"Oh not you too! I'm not going mad!"

"No," a chubby gray pony neighed. "You're already mad." Some of the other ponies nickered their amusement. She entered the stall of a slim gray mare who greeted her with a warm nuzzle.

"Mum's called a doctor to come and look at me today." The horses fell particularly silent. She put her hand on the mare's muzzle, the deep brown eyes filled with warmth. "She said he's a psychological doctor," she said in disgust. "My own mother thinks I'm crazy."

"Lizzy," a woman's voice filtered through the closed wooden doors. Lizzy swallowed back tears and quickly left the stall. The mare followed her to the stall door and poked her head out. Lizzy stroked her nose and the other horses resumed their normal, lazy day activities. The doors opened and Lizzy blinked at the sudden spill of bright light. "Lizzy! There you are! This is the doctor I was telling you about."

"Hello, Elizabeth," a deep, cold voice said from behind the woman. Lizzy narrowed her eyes.

"It's Lizzy, Doctor...," she trailed off. The two adults entered the stable and Lizzy's eyes adjusted. She stared at the dull brown eyes, a chill running up her spin. The man never blinked and those eyes didn't sit well with hers. The horses clearly felt the _wrongness_ of this 'doctor'. He gave her a chilling smile, showing pearly white teeth with rather sharp canines.

"Sinister, Lizzy. The name is Sinister."

Lizzy pressed her lips together; her mother beamed. "Come along now, Lizzy. Doctor Sinister doesn't want to do his profession in a _horse stable_, I'm sure."

Lizzy pressed her lips together and didn't move.

"No need, Madame," the doctor said calmly. "I work best in the comfortable environment of my client." The woman pressed her lips together in a thin line and gave him a tight smile. She gave her daughter a fleeting look and left the stable. The doctor dropped the smile and blinked his eyes slowly giving a long sigh. Lizzy reentered the stall, frightened by the blood red colour of his eyes.

"You know Lizzy, you're not the only one in the world with," he paused. "Hm, _special_ gifts."

"My only _special_ gift is being rather talented with numbers," she said harshly. "Best one in my class, better than my own father."

"That's not the one I speak of. I speak of the one that makes people think you're-."

"I'm not crazy!"

The horses snorted and threw up their heads in startlement. The mare pranced anxiously and backed into a dark corner.

"No, Lizzy. Gifted. You have a beautiful gift. Tell me, how long have you been able to speak to animals?"

"Ten years. I'm sixteen."

"Since you were six?" He asked, cold voice toned with surprise.

"Clearly you can count too."

Sinister's eyes narrowed maliciously as he warned, "I don't like being fooled with, Lizzy."

"Neither do I."

The two fell silent. Sinister broke the silence.

"Why aren't you showing your fear, pray tell?" He asked curiously.

"You remind me of a certain fox I once met who tried to play me the fool," she said plainly. "I don't like being forced to play the part of the fool, for the fool doesn't always come out the victor."

Sinister raised an eyebrow. "You're a clever girl, Lizzy. What would you say if I asked you to join me in my profession?"

"I'd ask you what your profession is."

"A doctor, Lizzy. Clearly such a clever girl like you can see it."

"No, you don't strike me as a real doctor. Just one who runs around all of England looking for mothers who believe their daughters are crazy. I won't help you lie to them. I am not crazy!"

"Now Lizzy, you listen to me. You _will_ help me. One day you will, and that day you won't have a choice on the matter." His eyes became darker and darker with each word said, and Lizzy became more adamant about her decision.

"Lizzy-!" The woman's voice interrupted the tension between the doctor and the teenaged girl. She opened the door and flashed a smile at the doctor. Sinister blinked and his eyes became a dull brown once more, and his skin a pasty white. He gave the older woman a tight smile. "I'm so sorry, Doctor. I hope I didn't interrupt-."

"Not at all, Madame; in fact I was just leaving. Your daughter is absolutely healthy."

The woman clapped her hands together in delight. "Oh how marvelous. Lizzy, dear, Matilda calls for you."

"I'll be right there, Mother."

"Have a good day, Lizzy," Sinister said coolly.

"Mr. Sinister," Lizzy called, matching his cool tone, "my name is Elizabeth."

"Lizzy!" Her mother chided.

"No it's quite alright, Madame. Have a good life, _Elizabeth_."

**England, 1868**

A hooded figure stood before a gravestone, hands thrust deeply in the pockets. His blood red eyes, studying the words on the slab of stone, held no emotions. Grey clouds in the sky swirled together, preparing for another day of cold rain and piercing winds. The man remained unmoved as the wind began to whistle, thrusting up fallen leaves into the air and making branches creak. Another man came walking up to the gravestone, body hunched to fight the wind.

"Doctor," he said, coming up to the man. "We have located the boy."

"It was such a pity she had to die," the doctor mused, seemingly oblivious to the man behind him. "She was such a beautiful girl with such a rare and interesting talent."

"Doctor?"

The man with the red eyes was silent.

"Doctor Sinister?"

The man blinked, as if registering the man behind him for the first time.

"Yes Omega?" He questioned, irritated. His eyes never left the headstone, never moving.

"We have," Omega gave a nervous cough, "located the boy, Doctor."

"Where?"

"Seville, Spain," Omega said, tensing for any sudden moves from Sinister.

"Ah," Sinister breathed. "Spain: a beautiful country with beautiful women."

Omega gave a grunt of agreement. Sinister took a hand out of his pocket and pointed at the stone. Instantly, letters began forming underneathe the inscription.

"Prepare to leave, Omega. Pack everything. We leave tomorrow."

"Yes, Doctor." Omega gave a slight bow, his body relaxing with relief, and left the other man.

"Ah, Elizabeth. If only you had agreed to join me you wouldn't be where you are now. You would be going to see Spain. You were so clever. Your death is a pity." He tapped the headstone and left, leaving his brand

_Elizabeth Edwards_

_July 2, 1839 – September 30, 1868 _

_Beloved daughter, mother, and wife_

MUTANT

**Russia, 1907**

"I swear on my life, Mister Sinister, I know not where she has gone! I cast her from my house years ago! You do not want to find her, Mister Sinister!" The man's voice was choked with desperation and panic in much the same way the chains were coiled around his limbs. Sinister rolled his eyes, bored. Two burly men stood behind him, one visibly younger than the other, a strong grip each on his shoulders, keeping the man on his knees. Another stood at Sinister's side, yellow eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"Monsieur Rasputin," he growled, his accent revealing his French background. His yellow eyes beginning to glow. "Monsieur Sinister has asked you a simple question: where is your daughter?"

The man shook with fear, blue eyes going wide. The French man gave a curt nod to the bigger of the two men. Omega gritted his teeth, his red hair shot through with light, and tubes shot out of his sides, snaking around the Russian man and. The younger man clenched his jaw as Rasputin began screaming.

The younger, Spanish man squared his jaw and focused his brown eyes on the gray wall, focusing on the flaws to drown out the gasps for air. A vein throbbed on his neck as he fought the screams echoing in his head. It never mattered how many times he had screamed this way as a child, the screams still haunted him.

"Omega! That's enough. I need the man alive," Sinister spoke up calmly. Omega scowled and retracted the tubes.

"No need to get so excited, Incendie," Sinister added, just as calm. "Mr. Rasputin will talk in good time." Incendie glowered, his eyes glowing even brighter and his hands beginning to smoke. Sinister touched his arm in a calming manner, and Incendie reluctantly calmed. His eyes stopped glowing and the smoke disappeared. Sinister allowed the Russian man to catch his breath before addressing him.

"Mr. Rasputin," Sinister said casually, folding his hands before him. With his mild manner, he could have easily been about to ask the man about the weather over coffee. "Where is Svetlana?"

Mr. Rasputin spoke quickly and desperately in Russian. Sinister sighed.

"Mr. Rasputin. I know you know where she is. Do not hide it from me. Tell me where she is and you will be released."

This caught the man's attention. "I will be released?"

"He just said that, old fool!" Omega snarled. The Spanish man didn't move a muscle or breathe a word.

"No need for violence, Omega," Sinister scolded. "Yes, Mr. Rasputin, you will be released."

"And you will never come for me again?"

"We will never come for you again if you tell me where you last saw her. But I warn you; lead me astray, and I will come for you…and destroy you."

The Russian man gulped and nodded vigorously.

"Moscow. That is where I last saw her."

Sinister smiled. "See, boys, patience is a valuable asset. Easel!"

The Spanish man jerked his attention to the man in the chair.

"See to it that Mr. Rasputin is returned to his home safely." Easel nodded. Sinister waved his hand and the chains disappeared. Easel grabbed the man by the arm and hauled him out of the building. They went in silence for a while when the older man's stomach grumbled. Easel glanced at him quickly and took a quick look around. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a notepad and a pencil. Mr. Rasputin stopped just as his escort did and began to shrink. Easel sketched something quick and touched it with his forefinger. He handed the bread out towards the man.

"Here," he said quietly. The man stared at him, eyes wide. Easel shifted his weight uncomfortably. "It's not poisoned." The man slowly took it and ate it quickly, eating every last crumb. They took up their walking again until they reached the top of a hill. Easel stopped.

"You are free to go." The man looked at him curiously.

"You are like my daughter. You can do things people cannot. I was a fool to cast her from my home. I realize this now. Tell me, will she be harmed? For although I sent her away, she is my daughter and I still care for her."

"No, Señor, she will not be harmed. Mister Sinister simply wishes to offer her shelter, same as he did with me. The only price is that we must work for him. It's not so bad."

Mr. Rasputin nodded and said something in Russian before walking the downhill path to his home.

**Russia, 1915**

"This place is so crowded," Omega growled, pulling his hat farther down in an attempt to cover his hair.

"How does he expect us to find her in this mess?" Incendie grumbled, swearing under his breath in French as yet another woman bumped his shoulder, and his fingers tightened on the brim of the hat on his head to insure that his eyes remained covered.

Easel said nothing, brown eyes flitting about as he scanned the crowd for anyone who seemed out of place. He looked down an alley and furrowed his brow as a shadow fleeted from one doorway to another. Easel blinked, swearing he saw wings. He glanced at his companions. They were putting more of an effort to complaining about the situation than observing it, and in split second decided to go it alone. Unnoticed, he slipped into the alley.

"Hello?"

There was a fluttering to his left and whoosh overhead. Easel found himself wishing he knew what powers Svetlana had and thinking that the decision to come alone was ignorant and a rather stupid idea. Easel took out his notepad and pencil and began drawing a candle. A booted foot came from above and kicked them out of his hands. He grabbed the foot and pulled down hard. A woman's voice muttered something in Russian and another booted foot came towards him. He grabbed both ankles and pulled her down. There was a scuffle as she squirmed to get her legs free. He cursed in Spanish under his breath.

"Svetlana?"

The struggling ceased and he loosened his grip. There was a fluttering of wings and a young woman landed in front of him, her glaring eyes questioning.

"How do you know my name?" She demanded hands curled into fists; Easel held up his hands.

"My boss sent me to find you."

She scowled and gave him a well-aimed kick that sent him flying into the wall.

"That was not my question."

"Your father," he coughed, getting to his feet. Svetlana scowled. "It's how we found you."

"We? You have others with you?"

"Yea," Omega growled behind her, sending tubes to wrap around her and hold her tight. "Baby-face here has got friends."

Incendie chuckled and slapped Easel on the back. "Congrats, you found her."

Svetlana squirmed before passing out. Omega gave a smile before releasing her, holding her limp form in his arms.

"Alright boys, we've got the girl, time to go. We can explore Moscow another time."

"No thanks, _mon ami_," Incendie snorted. "I've had my fill of Moscow."

**Russia, 1915**

"Oh good! You found her!" Sinister smiled triumphantly and then frowned. "You didn't kill her now did you?"

"No, Monsieur Sinister," Incendie said. "Just passed out. Omega squeezed too hard."

"Tattle tale," Omega muttered, shooting the Frenchman a glare. Sinister didn't seem to notice.

"Easel, draw a bed for our little duchess."

Easel nodded, drew the bed and touched the drawing with his forefinger. He extracted from the page a tiny bed and placed it on the floor before pulling the edges and expanding the bed. He stood aside as Omega laid her down on the bed. It wasn't long before the young woman stirred. Easel was the first at her side. She woke completely and slowly sat up, touching her ribs tenderly.

"Ok," she said, rolling her eyes upon seeing Easel. "Where am I?"

"You're in my current residence," Sinister replied before Easel could. He approached the Russian girl who eyed him and his eyes with caution. Easel went to go stand against the wall. "How do you feel, dear?"

"Bruised," she replied, glaring furiously at Omega who shrugged it off with a bored expression. Sinister chuckled.

"Now, you must be wondering why you are here."

"You read minds?"

Sinister chuckled. "Not at all, child. It was simply your expression."

"So, why am I here?"

"So I can offer you a job," Sinister said with a smile. Svetlana eyed him suspiciously.

"And your goons couldn't have offered it to me instead of fighting me," she retorted.

"They aren't in the authority to offer you the job, they work for me, you see. Not the other way around."

"What does this job entail?"

"Ah, straight to business, I like your attitude. This 'job' entails traveling with me and the men around the world looking for people like ourselves. Those with… special talents."

Svetlana raised a thick eyebrow. Sinister walked to the middle of the room and pointed at each of the men stationed about the room.

"My men, you've met them I believe? Omega has tubes that come from his ribs, quite fascinating how they retract. Incendie shoots fire from his hands and eyes, similar to that of a dragon blast. He's from France. And then Easel," he said proudly. "Comes from Spain. His ability is that he draws something, touches it, and it becomes real. I have to admit, it's come in handy. I do enjoy seeing his work. Like this bed - his work. What can you do?"

Svetlana looked around the room, eyeing each man as Sinister pointed them out. She pressed her lips together and there was a fluttering sound as two big green wings sprouted up from her back, glittering in what little light there was. Sinister smiled.

"Magnificent! Butterfly wings! Gorgeous!"

"What can _you_ do?"

"What can I do?" Sinister chuckled. "My dear, I can offer you immortality."

"You can make me live forever?"

"Yes, Svetlana, I can. Or you can go back to fighting for your very survival on the streets of Moscow."

Svetlana studied him quietly, seeming to contemplate the choice before her. Finally she held out her hand.

"Done."

Sinister smirked as he delicately shook her hand with two fingers.

"Welcome to my team, Mariposa."

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